EU urges Houthis to lift Taiz siege — The National
The European Union has urged the Houthis to lift the siege of Taiz in southwestern Yemen and allow food, water, medicine and fuel into the city. The EU also stressed the need to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, as well as ensure the unhindered work of humanitarian organizations, The National reports.
Warning of a humanitarian catastrophe
Taiz, Yemen's third-largest city, is controlled by government forces, but the Houthis have kept it under siege since 2015. In recent weeks, fighting between the Houthis and government troops has intensified, while the rebels have tightened their encirclement of the area.
Yemeni Foreign Minister Afrah Al-Zuba sent a letter to senior UN officials and humanitarian bodies about the sharp deterioration of conditions in Taiz province. According to her, the tightening siege of the city and nearby villages could cause a humanitarian catastrophe for more than 4 million people, including residents of Taiz and displaced families in the Al-Shamayatayn, Al-Mawaset and Jabal Habashi districts.
The Yemeni government called on the UN to exert direct pressure on the Houthis to immediately lift the blockade, open all routes for civilians and the delivery of goods, and ensure stable supplies of food, fuel and drinking water. The government also called for stronger monitoring and documentation of violations to preserve evidence and hold those responsible accountable.
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Food shortages and pressure on hospitals
The UN World Food Programme reported that wheat flour stocks in Taiz are nearly exhausted. At least 600,000 people in the city depend on humanitarian assistance, including more than 200,000 children. According to the WFP, available stocks could be quickly depleted if access restrictions remain in place.
The International Committee of the Red Cross stated that hospitals near front lines in Marib, Taiz and on the Red Sea coast are receiving an unprecedented number of people wounded by weapons. Some medical facilities admitted more than 700 casualties in a single week.
ICRC health coordinator Feras Abusamra said trauma care workers are operating under enormous pressure. According to him, only a small proportion of Yemen's medical centers that remain operational can provide comprehensive trauma care, while hospitals are facing shortages of surgical supplies, anesthesia, oxygen and medicines.
The UN International Organization for Migration reported that more than 200,000 people have left their homes since the fighting began in recent weeks.
