Violence In Yemen Claim The Lives Of At Least 115 Children In Last Month

The violence in Yemen has claimed the lives of at least 115 children in the last month and at least 140 youngsters have been recruited to fight, UN agencies said Friday.

In a bleak assessment of the situation in Yemen, UNICEF made a plea to all warring parties to respect international law and protect children.

Spokesperson Christophe Boulierac told journalists in Geneva that its estimate of 115 children killed was "in reality" almost certainly higher.

He also said that "all armed groups" continued to recruit children, adding in "UNICEF demands that urgent action be taken to end violations against children including their recruitment and use by armed groups. All parties to the conflict must protect children at all times, neither target nor use schools and hospitals and cease immediately the recruitment of children."

As renewed fighting enters its fifth week between government forces and Houthi rebels, UNICEF reported that 30 schools have been damaged or occupied and 23 hospitals attacked.

Recently, the agency said that one-third of combatants in Yemen were under 18 years old.

UN World Health Agency meanwhile expressed alarm at fuel shortages which threatened the transport of already scarce medical supplies and vaccines, and the World Food Programme (WFP) said it had enough fuel for two weeks, though the shortages were affecting families already who had nothing to cook with.

SHOTLIST:
24 APRIL 2015, GENEVA

Exterior, Palais des Nations, Geneva
Presser
Table of journalists
Reporters
Journalist

SOUNDBITE (English) Rupert Colville, Spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
"Civilian casualties have continued to mount in Yemen over the past few days. The total number of civilians killed between the 26 of March and 22 of April is now estimated to be 551, including 31 women and around a hundred children."

SOUNDBITE (English) Elizabeth Byrs, Spokesperson for WFP:
"WFP's ability to respond to the wide spread humanitarian needs in Yemen is severely constraint due to the insecurity in the country. There is an urgent need for humanitarian space to enable food assistance distribution to conflict-affected civilians. The lack of fuel, including the restriction on importation, are affecting WFP operational ability to provide food assistance."

SOUNDBITE (English) Tarik Jasarevic, Spokesperson for WHO:
"Remaining hospitals are really struggling not only with having not enough of medicines, but also with fuel shortages that cause lack of electricity. So, WHO and the ministry of Public Health and Population estimate that approximately 750,000 US dollars is needed per month to provide sufficient fuel to cover 100 ambulances to major hospitals at affected governorates and mobile teams."

SOUNDBITE (English) Chistophe Boulierac, Spokesperson for UNICEF:
"At least, during the period between 26 March and 20 of April, 115 children killed, 172 maimed. We believe these are conservative figures and the total number of children killed or maimed could be higher as a process the verification is ongoing. We also confirmed that at least 140 children were recruited as child soldiers and at least 30 schools were damaged or occupied by parties to the conflict and 23 hospitals were attacked during this period. We demand –UNICEF demands- that urgent action be taken to end grave violations against children including the recruitment and use by armed groups."

DURATION: 02:24