YEMEN CRISIS

 This comes from UNHCR about Yemen.

The escalation of fighting between Al Houthi rebels and the government forces in northern Yemen over the past few days is worsening what is already a dire and complex humanitarian emergency.

UNHCR is especially worried about the situation in Sa’ada city, the

provincial capital of Sa’ada governorate. UNHCR's team in Sa’ada

city reports there is no water and no electricity in the city since 10

August. There is also a shortage of fuel and it is becoming increasingly

dangerous and hard for the people to reach the market to get food. Our

staff on the ground had registered some 700 newly displaced families

over the past two weeks. However, registration has been suspended due to

security situation inside the city and the 24 hour curfew. 

In the neighbouring Hajjah governorate, southwest of Sa’ada, we are

continuing to register internally displaced people (IDPs) and distribute

aid items including tents, plastic sheeting, blankets and jerry cans.

Yesterday, (Monday, 24 August), some 865 families totalling almost 6,000

people received UNHCR assistance and more relief items are expected to

arrive to this area later this week. 

We are also assisting the Yemeni Red Crescent and the provincial

authorities in Hajjah governorate to set up a new camp near Hajja, about

130 kilometres southwest of Sa’ada city. A UNHCR site planner has been

deployed to Hajjah and is working with local authorities and other

partners on the design and construction of the camp. The new camp is to

accommodate the first 200 families by Friday, 28 August. Its planned

capacity is 500 families – some 3,500 people.

Following an interagency mission to Amran governorate, Yemeni

authorities informed us of their intention to open a new IDP camp there

as well. Most of the newly displaced are scattered and in remote areas

as they found shelter with friends, relatives and host families.

The new camp will respond to the needs of the most vulnerable looking

for protection and security. UNHCR will run the coordination and

management of the camp and provide urgently needed shelter and

protection. The new camp will be in Kheiwas some 90 kilometres south of

Sa’ada. It is estimated that the new camp will accommodate initially

500 families and the government has indicated it will be ready within

one week .

Meanwhile, we are preparing shipments of new aid for Yemen. Yesterday

(Monday, 24 August), today and tomorrow UNHCR is loading at the central

emergency stockpile in Dubai, nine 40-foot containers with 25,000

blankets, 6,000 plastic sheets, 6,000 kitchen sets and 300 canvas tents

for Sa'ada. The ship carrying these relief items is scheduled to arrive

in the port of Aden in the first week of September. In the meantime

UNHCR is using the emergency stock pile in Yemen.

Since 2004, the clashes between the Al Houthi rebels and government

troops in Sa’ada governorate have affected an estimated 120,000 people

- 35,000 in the past two weeks alone. END