Local Editor

According to Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development/Agence d’Aide à la Coopération Technique Et au Développement [ACTED] on Monday, "Since the start of the airstrike campaign in late March, the northern governorate of Sa’ada in Yemen has been one of the hardest hit. The crisis has taken an immeasurably heavy toll on civilians in this poor, rural governorate, causing death, injury and frequent damage and destruction of infrastructure".

A Saudi-led coalition backed by the United States has been carrying out airstrikes against Yemen since March. The airstrikes have not been authorized by the UN.

"The damage is everywhere...It is now almost impossible for inhabitants to reach adequate food, clean water and health care." an ACTED Sa’ada staff member explained.

ACTED said: "The enormous scale of suffering across the governorate has also been magnified by the on-going restrictions of imports into Yemen since March. Only a fraction of the normal stocks of necessary food, fuel and commodities has made its way into the import-dependent country, rendering households even more vulnerable. As a result, when classified for food insecurity, Sa’ada is one of ten governorates of Yemen one level below famine".

It added: "Fuel shortages, in addition to destruction of water sources, have also severely limited access to water. Families are thus fleeing their homes, not only to avoid airstrikes, but in search for clean water. The hospitals that are still standing have no access to medicine, water or electricity to continue operations. Women are dying during childbirth due to lack of the necessary healthcare services".

It said that, "In an attempt to find safety, thousands have fled to nearby governorates and rural areas. Those remaining in their homes are living in fear".

Another ACTED Sa’ada staff member concluded: "Life in Sa’ada is getting harder and harder every day".

According to the organization, it said that it has secured funding to respond to the crisis in Sa’ada, "but is faced with significant obstacles in delivering this essential humanitarian assistance". 

"The response has been hampered by unrelenting airstrikes, which have continued throughout three supposed ceasefires for humanitarian purposes", it further said. 

"High fuel prices, damaged roads and bridges...are also limiting mobility", it added. 

The organization called for "unimpaired humanitarian access to address emergency needs" and for parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructures from the effects of violence.