The key facts

  • 800,000 people in Yemen have lost access to humanitarian aid due to fighting; over 18 million face daily food shortages
  • The worst situation is in Taiz, where 600,000 people, including 200,000 women and children, are cut off from aid
  • The Houthis are trying to retake Taiz and Jabal Sabir mountain, which is strategically important for controlling the area
In Yemen, fighting has cut off 800,000 people from access to humanitarian aid
In Yemen, fighting has cut off 800,000 people from access to humanitarian aid
Photo: Houthi Media Center via Getty Images

MOSCOW. October 14. INTERFAX.RU - Due to the escalation of the armed conflict between the Houthis and the forces of the internationally recognized government in Yemen, 800,000 people have lost access to humanitarian aid, and more than 18 million face food shortages every day, representatives of the UN World Food Programme said.

According to the WFP, the situation is worst in the city of Taiz, where more than 600,000 people, including 200,000 women and children, are denied access to humanitarian aid. In recent weeks, as reported, the Houthis have been attempting to retake this strategically important city from government forces.

Due to constant disruptions in flour supplies and the depletion of local market stocks, the situation is rapidly approaching a full-scale catastrophe.

The Houthis are trying to drive units of Yemen's government forces off Jabal Sabir mountain, located near the city of Taiz and of strategic importance for controlling the surrounding area. Taiz is Yemen's third-largest city, where a number of key highways converge, including those leading to the port city of Aden - the city where Yemen's internationally recognized government is based. The country's capital, Sanaa, is controlled by the Houthis.