Local Editor

UN officials have openly criticized the "the virtual silence" with regards to civilian suffering in the Yemeni conflict from the world community, warning that unless violence on the ground is stopped via political compromise more people will suffer.

The Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng, as well as the Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect, Jennifer Welsh, "expressed concern at the ever increasing impact on civilians of the ongoing conflict in Yemen, and the virtual silence of the international community about the threat to populations."

The joint statement by the two UN officials comes a day after UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, told the UN Human Rights Council that his office has found that over 2,000 civilians have been killed and more than 4,000 wounded in Yemen.

The Special Advisers "expressed alarm about allegations of serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law throughout the country..."

Furthermore, the officials also denounced the use of sectarian language by the Yemeni branch of the so-called "Daesh" ["ISIL"] extremist group and Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula to justify violations of international law and to fuel divide.

 The UN officials also recalled that the international community has a responsibility to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity, and "must intensify its efforts to fulfil this collective responsibility in Yemen."

Meanwhile, UN humanitarian officials reported that damage to civilian infrastructure such as hospitals, mosques and schools continues unabated in Yemen, while the depletion of medical stocks and the lack of fuel to run hospital generators further exacerbate the humanitarian crisis.

Yemen relies on imports for up to 70 per cent of its fuel requirements and 100 per cent of its needs for medicine.

A Saudi-led coalition backed by the United States has been carrying out a military aggression on Yemen by launching airstrikes against the country since March 26. The airstrikes have not been authorized by the United Nations [UN].