At least nine United Nations staff members and their dependents have been detained in the Ethiopian capital, the world body said.
A UN spokesperson said on Tuesday that the UN had submitted a request to Ethiopia’s foreign ministry to immediately release those detained in Addis Ababa.
UN security officials have visited the detained staff, the spokesperson added.
There was no immediate comment by the Ethiopian government, which has been battling forces from the northern Tigray region for a year.
Tensions between Ethiopia’s government and the UN have been high throughout the war, which has left thousands dead and, according to UN estimates, pushed hundreds of thousands into famine-like conditions.
In late September, the government had ordered the expulsion of seven senior UN officials from the country for “meddling” in its internal affairs.
