Sana’a airport, in the hands of the Houthi rebels, has been closed to humanitarian and UN aircraft since Tuesday. Blame it on the Saudi-led coalition strikes. Riyadh says it is responding to drone attacks by the Houthis. But the consequences are direct for NGOs and by extension for civilians who live on humanitarian aid.
After the coalition strikes, the airport of the Yemeni capital was no longer able on Tuesday December 21 to receive planes from the United Nations and international humanitarian organizations.
Monday evening, the coalition claimed to have led “ precise and limited airstrikes targeting legitimate military targets at Sana’a International Airport “. An operation ” conducted in response to the threat and the use of airport infrastructure to launch cross-border attacks “, She specified in a press release, quoted by the official Saudi agency SPA. Coalition forces targeted six targets at the airport, including sites intended for ” carry out trapped drone attacks “And” train terrorist elements To these devices, she added.
According to the coalition, the Saudi raids are not likely to ” affect operational capacities “From the airport and are” in accordance with international humanitarian law “. On Tuesday, the coalition said Saudi airports were ready to receive humanitarian flights to Yemen, the aid of which will be channeled through ” access points Under UN supervision, according to a statement broadcast by Saudi state television El-Ekhbariya.
” The closure of the Sana’a airport necessarily impacts our projects in northern Yemen “
The UN, for its part, reiterated its call to keep Sanaa airport open. ” We call on all parties to keep the airport open for humanitarian operations Deputy UN spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters on Tuesday, adding that “ the equipment necessary to maintain humanitarian flights must be preserved so that it remains operational “.
” The activity that we carry out in the north of Yemen depends entirely on the airport of Sana’a. This is the only way for our international medical and non-medical staff to reach northern Yemen, explains Evgenia Zelikova is deputy head of the Yemen unit at Médecins sans frontières. It is also our supply of drugs and medical equipment, as well as logistical equipment. So the closure of the Sana’a airport necessarily impacts our projects in northern Yemen. This is not the first time that the airport has been closed since the start of the conflict. Each time, the prolonged closure of the airport presents us with difficulties in carrying out our activities. “
The UN no longer has the necessary funds
In addition, the UN said, Wednesday, December 20, “ constraint “To reduce food aid in Yemen for lack of necessary funds, writes AFP. The United Nations warns of an increase in hunger in this country at war, ravaged by one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. ” AT From January, eight million people will receive a reduced food ration “, Specified the World Food Program (WFP), fearing” even more severe reductions soon inevitable “.