Yemen’s nearly 10-year-long civil war with Houthi Rebels has now led to The United Nations World Food Programme’s suspension of any food distribution to areas controlled by the Houthi groups with millions of Yemen citizens living in the region.
The conflict arose in 2014 when the Houthi Rebel Group, funded by Iran, took control of Yemen as a means of revolution against government corruption. Officials say since the start of the conflict, more than 150,000 people have been killed and 3 million displaced. The crisis has led to widespread food insecurity and unparalleled levels of malnutrition for the millions of civilians in Yemen.
The WFP, which has been making attempts to provide resources for citizens affected by Houthi control, released a statement regarding its decision to pull back its humanitarian aid efforts. “This difficult decision, made in consultation with donors, comes after nearly a year of negotiations, during which no agreement was reached to reduce the number of people served from 9.5 million to 6.5 million.” After Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea, said to have been linked to Houthi support of Hamas, which affected global trade, the WFP made the decision to cut back on food distribution until proper negotiations have been reached.
Attempts by the WFP will still be made to ensure food security for vulnerable families and schools, however, these efforts are dependent on sufficient funding and cooperation from Houthi groups in the North.
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