Since 2015 Yemen has been in an ongoing violent conflict between the Saudi backed Yemini government and Iranian backed Houthi rebels. The conflict has resulted in a loss of an estimated 100,000 people in Yemen as reported by The Guardian. Now, as the Coronavirus reached Yemen, officials are worried that the situation in the country could worsen. Houthi rebels have reportedly tried to hide the actual numbers of death. The Times reported that Houthis are paranoid due to the spread of the virus. They are recklessly imprisoning doctors and journalists who report about the virus. Senior British military officials in the Middle East confirmed the growing disaster in Yemen and warned that the country could face a large human toll due to Covid-19. Lieutenant general John Lorimer told The National, “We are really concerned about the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in Yemen. Yemenis have suffered hugely. If the fighting stops it will allow the world to engage in this humanitarian issue.”
The National also reported in April that various Intelligence sources were warning Yemen’s government that Coronavirus will be catastrophic to the country. Cases were recorded in April itself in government-held territory, worrying the authorities. Yemen’s healthcare is debilitating and 18 percent of district authorities have no doctors. As The National reported The true numbers of Coronavirus cases in Yemen so far are unknown, however, the Yemen government has officially reported 909 infections and 248 deaths.
The situation in Yemen is declining with a reduction in donations from international organizations. Added to this, Houthi rebels are not releasing the people infected with Coronavirus as it “created a state of fear and anxiety”. The World Health Organisation has reported that half of Yemen’s health facilities are no longer open. Doctors in Yemen have estimated around 600 people have died so far and the numbers are rising.
The situation will not improve until the fighting between rebels and government forces is resolved. As Lt Gen Lorimer mentioned, “We would urge all the parties to support the peace process and engage constructively in it. A political settlement is the only way we can bring long-term stability to the region and address the human crisis. There’s no military solution to it.”
To read more, please visit:
https://yemenonline.info/focus/3654
https://www.dailysabah.com/world/mid-east/yemens-houthi-rebels-crack-down-as-covid-19-rumors-spread
Author: Saumya Bhardwaj
