Over 20mn people in Yemen face starvation and famine

Sana – The United Nations has warned that the humanitarian crisis in conflict-torn Yemen is spiralling out of control and that more than 20 million people are facing starvation and famine. Yemen’s internal conflict has been raging since 2014 and has intensified in recent months. The conflict has claimed thousands of lives; millions have been displaced.

The World Food Program, part of the United Nations, has issued a stern warning about the situation in Yemen. David Bisley, the World Food Program director, pointed to the situation in Yemen. He said that the food supply system in Yemen has collapsed, food prices have skyrocketed. Rising prices and fuel shortages have created a catastrophic situation in the country. More than 15 million people are on the verge of starvation; more than 5 million people could be facing drought.

Bisley said that if further funding is not forthcoming, we will be helpless to stop the supply of rations to 3.2 million people and the number could go up to 5 million by December. Representatives of the World Food Program in Yemen have claimed that the people of Yemen have nothing left to meet their daily food grain requirements. The supply of food grains has been limited given the intensifying conflict and the problem of starvation has aggravated, said the voluntary groups.

Saudi Arabia also jumped into the conflict in 2015, which began in 2014. But even after six years, the conflict is not over, and the government and pro-Iranian Houthi rebels continue. In the past few months, Houthi rebels have seized several key areas. Western media have accused the Houthi rebels of imposing restrictions on volunteer groups and relief work.