The UN warned last month that up to 14m Yemenis are on the brink of famine, which took lives of 85,000 children who died from malnutrition, Guardian reported on Wednesday.
Yemeni government asks for the international assistance and support due to the famine, the war in the country and the exacerbating the situation. The UN reported last month about at least 6,800 civilians have been killed and 10,700 injured in the armed conflict and port Hodeida blockade. The fighting and a partial blockade by the coalition have also left 22 million people in need of humanitarian aid, created the world’s largest food security emergency, and led to a cholera outbreak that has affected 1.2 million Yemenis.
According to Tamer Kirolos, Save the Children’s country director in Yemen, for every child killed by bombs and bullets, dozens are starving to death and it’s entirely preventable. The situation is totally uncontrollable because of the port of Hodeida, the entry point for about 80% of food imports and aid into Yemen, has been under blockade by the Saudi-led coalition backing the government since last year.
The UK-based Save the Children charity blames the blockade for putting more people at risk of famine, with continued heavy fighting around the principal lifeline port of Hodeida further exacerbating the situation. On Monday, the UK Ambassador to the UN has urged the organisation an immediate truce in the port city and giving both sides of the conflict a two-week deadline to remove all barriers to humanitarian aid. Otherwise, Yemen population will die from famine and infections.
Meanwhile, two rich Middle Eastern countries, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, have pledged $500m in food aid, and say it is intended to reach 10 to 12 million Yemenis.
