Illustrative photo: alarabiyanews

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the release and "reiterates that kidnapping is an inhumane and unjustifiable crime, and calls for the perpetrators to be held accountable," a UN spokesperson said.

The staff - four from Yemen and one from Bangladesh - were kidnapped in Yemen's southern region of Abyan on Feb. 11, 2022. Yemen-based Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has used a conflict between a Saudi-led coalition and the Iran-aligned Houthis to enhance its influence.