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Yemen’s Putschists Withheld 34 Aid Ships from Reaching Ravaged Civilians | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Armed lHouthis brandish their weapons at a gathering in the capital Sanaa to mobilize more fighters to battlefronts to fight pro-government forces in several Yemeni cities, on June 20, 2016.

/ AFP PHOTO / MOHAMMED HUWAIS


Yemen’s Chairman of the Higher Humanitarian Relief Commission Board Abdulrraqib Fateh held the Houthi-led putsch responsible for a dire famine striking Yemenis today.

Mr. Fateh revealed that both Houthi militiamen and former president Ali Abdullah Saleh loyalists have unjustly seized 34 aid shipments that were scheduled to deliver sustenance and medical relief to the people of Yemen.

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)-sent cargoes were arranged to make port and unload at the port of Hodeidah, the Fourth-largest city in Yemen.

Iran-aligned militants had seized all ships and withheld the delivery of humanitarian relief to Yemen’s war-victims and impoverished.

Over 496,000 tons of food, 146,000 tons of oil byproducts and at least 275,000 tons of construction items for infrastructure (cement, gravel, steel, etc..) are in cargoes withheld by insurgency gunmen, Mr.Fateh told Yemen’s state news agency, Saba.

The aid kept from the people of Yemen is eventually leading to untold damage to the social fabric added to suffering and famine. Diseases have also been spreading increasingly due to local deficiency in medical care, especially in Houthi-held areas.

U.N. humanitarian chief Stephen O’Brien had made comments on the current situation of Yemen’s port labeling it as ‘worrisome’—especially in areas concerning work performance and the way of tracking the commercial ships which reach the port.

Mr.Fateh urged that the aid be released from the port’s warehouses, as over 21 million Yemenis are in dire need of relief.

More so, Spokesman of the Arab coalition supporting the legitimacy in Yemen Maj. Gen. Ahmed Asseri has confirmed that Houthi militias are seizing 34 ships carrying humanitarian aid since more than 186 days.

“There are no UN humanitarian personnel today at the Al Hodeidah port – which is the largest remaining port under Houthi militia control – who can inspect and supervise distributing the much needed aid and medical supplies,” Asseri said.

Asseri also added that humanitarian aid has been stacking in at Hodeidah port for nearly seven months because Houthi militias and forces loyal to the ousted Ali Abdullah Saleh are blocking the distribution of aid which resulted in depriving the residents from taking benefits from it.