Yemeni Minister Hails Turkey's Support, Aid

By Shukry Hussein





Yemen's Local Affairs Minister Abdul Raqib Fattah has praised Turkish support for his government and the Yemeni people.





"We highly appreciate Turkey's political and humanitarian stances with the Yemeni people and the legitimate government in Yemen," Fattah told Anadolu Agency by phone on Wednesday.





Last week, Turkey sent an aid ship to Yemen, which has been locked in a civil war since 2014 when Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including the capital Sanaa.





The vessel, which carries more than 10,000 tons of humanitarian aid, docked at Aden port in southern Yemen on Thursday.





"The aid ship is a true translation of brotherly bonds between Turkey and Yemen and reflects Turkey's non-stop support for the country," the Yemeni minister said.





"The aid will help alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people as a result of the war launched by the Houthi militia and their allies," Fattah added.





In 2015, Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies launched a massive air campaign in 2015 aimed at reversing Houthi military gains and shoring up Yemen's embattled government.





According to UN officials, more than 10,000 people have been killed in the war, while more than 11 percent of the country's population has been displaced as a direct result of the conflict. -