Yemen is on the verge of famine. The United Nations warns of a worsening humanitarian catastrophe due to the escalation of fighting
Yemen is facing an extremely dangerous humanitarian crisis amid mounting international warnings of expanding hunger, in parallel with continuing military confrontations and widespread waves of displacement from combat areas.
In this context, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, expressed his deep concern about the deteriorating situation in the country, warning that Yemen is rapidly approaching levels that threaten famine.
Fletcher explained, in an interview with the “Diplomatic Street” program on Al Arabiya channel, that humanitarian needs are increasing at a rapid pace, adding: “We fear rising levels of hunger,” stressing that the country is “approaching famine.”
These warnings come in light of the intense military escalation since last July between the Houthi group and the internationally recognized Yemeni government, coinciding with rapid field developments along the western coast and around the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait.
The Yemeni forces announced the redeployment of their forces, confirming the continuation of their military operations and their confrontation with the Houthis on various fronts. In the same context, the Yemeni government warned that the Houthis’ approach to Bab al-Mandab represents a direct threat to the security and safety of international navigation.
This military escalation was directly reflected in the humanitarian scene. The country has witnessed the displacement of tens of thousands since the beginning of last September, in addition to the crossing of more than two thousand Yemenis into Djibouti, at a time when the fuel crisis has worsened to constitute a major obstacle to civilians fleeing the hell of confrontations.
With the expansion of battles, the doubling of the number of displaced people, and the decline in basic capabilities to secure food and fuel, the humanitarian issue is at the forefront of the Yemeni scene again, amid serious fears that the country will slide from a chronic humanitarian crisis to a stage of actual famine.
