5 UN Employees Kidnapped in Yemen's Abyan

On Saturday, a United Nations official confirmed that five UN staff members had been kidnapped in Yemen's volatile Abyan province.

Russell Geekie, the Senior Communications Advisor to the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, said "the UN staff members were on the way back to Aden after having completed a field mission."

"The United Nations is in close contact with the authorities to secure their release," he said.

Meanwhile, unidentified gunmen thought to be members of Yemen's al-Qaida branch intercepted a UN vehicle in Mudiyah district, east of Abyan province, according to local media.

According to reports, the gunmen kidnapped numerous UN employees and brought them to an undisclosed place.

No one has claimed responsibility for the abduction thus far.

The al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) network, which is located in Yemen and predominantly operates in the country's eastern and southern regions, has been responsible for a number of high-profile attacks against security personnel.

Years of brutal struggle between the Yemeni government and the Houthi militia have allowed the AQAP to grow its position in crucial areas of the war-torn Arab country.