Houthis Urge UN To Resume Aid Distribution To Fend Off Famine In Yemen

Yemen's Houthi group called on the United Nations on Wednesday to resume food aid distribution in the war-torn country to mitigate "dangerous stages" of famine.

Ibrahim al-Hamli, an aid official in the Houthi group, discussed with UN Resident Coordinator in Sanaa Julian Harneis the "humanitarian suffering" in Yemen, the Houthi-run Saba news agency reported.

In December 2023, the UN World Food Program (WFP) suspended its food aid program in areas controlled by the Houthi group in northern Yemen due to limited funding and disagreements with the Houthis.

"The suspension of food aid has exacerbated humanitarian suffering, leading to an increase in food insecurity and cases of malnutrition among the displaced people, especially children," al-Hamli said.

He underlined the need to resume food aid distribution in Yemen "to prevent the country from sliding into dangerous stages of famine."

Yemen has fallen into civil war since 2014 when Iran-backed Houthi rebels seized much of the country, including the capital Sanaa, forcing the internationally recognized government to set up an interim capital in the coastal city of Aden.

UN estimates that in 2024, over 20 million people - over half the population - will need humanitarian assistance and protection services in Yemen.

According to UN figures, 17.6 million people will be severely food insecure and an estimated 2.7 million women and five million children under five will need treatment for acute malnutrition.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala -