Local Editor
The international confederation Oxfam warned Thursday that millions in Yemen are being knowingly pushed to the brink of famine.
Ahead of the two-year anniversary of the escalation of the war, nearly 7 million people have been pushed to the brink of starvation and 70 per cent of the population is in need of humanitarian aid.
"If the parties to the conflict – and those fuelling it with arm sales – continue to ignore Yemen’s food crisis, they will be responsible for a famine. The people of Yemen are being starved to death and may not survive the situation much longer,” Sajjad Mohamed Sajid, Oxfam's Country Director in Yemen said.
The organization called on the international community and the conflicting sides to act now to avoid famine in the country.
“A fully funded humanitarian response is vital to prevent countless people dying needlessly but ultimately what Yemenis need is an end to the fighting. All sides to the conflict need to understand that famine is the real enemy of Yemen. Preventing famine must take priority over any side’s military aims. The world cannot wait for famine to be declared in Yemen or it will be too late,” Sajid added.
Over the last two years, Saudi-led coalition airstrikes and fighting have killed more than 12,000 people, forced over 3 million people from their homes and left 18.8 million people – 70 percent of the population – in need of humanitarian assistance, the greatest number in any country in the world.
A sea, land and air blockade has been imposed by the coalition on Yemen, preventing food and medical aid coming in the country.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by Website Team
