On Monday, March 30, the government coalition targeted Houthi rebels in Sanaa, Yemen’s capital city, with airstrikes. No casualties were reported from Monday’s attack, but the conflict has already taken tens of thousands of lives including many civilian casualties. Over 60% of civilian deaths were caused by Saudi-led airstrikes. The UN has described the situation in Yemen as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Farms, schools, bridges, and roads have been targeted and repeatedly attacked. Around 2 million children are acutely malnourished. 3.65 million people have been displaced from their homes. Almost 18 million people do not have enough water or sanitation.
The Houthi rebels are formally known as Ansar Allah and formed a rebel group for Yemen’s Zaidi Shia Muslim minority. In late 2014 and 2015, the Houthis and their supporters took over Sanaa. Shortly after, Saudi Arabia began an air campaign against the Houthi rebels that they believed would only last a few weeks. Four years later, the conflict continues.
Internationally, people are worried about the implications for an outbreak of the coronavirus in Yemen. UN Yemen Envoy Martin Griffiths spoke on the subject saying, “Yemen needs its leaders to focus every minute of their time on averting and mitigating the potentially disastrous consequences of a COVID-19 outbreak."
To read more, visit:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29319423
Author: Noelle Musolino; Editor: Vito Quaglia
