UN Security Council to Saudi-led coalition: For aid deliveries, keep Yemen air and sea ports open

Sanaa, November 9: For the generous aid deliveries as the people in Yemen are suffering from cholera, the United Nations Security Council has asked the Saudi-led military coalition to keep all Yemen air and seaports. The Council members in a meeting have conveyed concern about the extremely serious humanitarian situation in Yemen.

 

Mark Lowcock, Chief of UN Humanitarian earlier said that if Yemen blockade is not lifted, the war-torn nation will face the largest famine in the world. Yemen is in the grip of the largest humanitarian crisis in the world.

According to UNOCHA, the conflict in Yemen has left 21 million people in need of emergency and protection. 17 million people are food insecure while 7 million of them are facing the threat of famine. Since April, there is nearly 9 lakh suspected cases of cholera. Almost 19 million people, nearly 80 percent of the population, need urgent humanitarian assistance.

By more than two and a half years of war, Yemen has been devastated after Houthi rebels, believed to be backed by Iran, captured the capital, Sanaa, and toppled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi's government. A coalition led by Saudi which was formed in 2015 to fight the Houthi rebels and army troops allied with them.