Fighting between Yemeni government forces and opposition fighters has trapped tens of thousands of civilians in and around the port town of Mokha, where over 30 fighters were killed Wednesday (February 1st), AFP reported.
"We fear the Houthi (Ansarallah) snipers who have taken up positions on rooftops but also the firing from the other (government) side," said Majed Mukaibar, a 32-year-old fisherman and father in the Red Sea town of south-west Yemen.
Ibrahim Saleh, a tradesman who works in southern Yemen's main city of Aden, told AFP that he has been trying since last week to evacuate his family from Mokha but has been thwarted by incessant gunfire.
The UN humanitarian co-ordinator in Yemen, Jamie McGoldrick, said in a statement released Tuesday that he was "extremely concerned about the safety and well-being of civilians" in Mokha and nearby Dhubab.
"Information from the field indicates that military operations in the coastal region have forced most residents of Dhubab to flee the area," he said.
"An estimated 20,000-30,000 people, almost one third of the population, are trapped in the town (of Mokha) and require immediate protection and relief assistance," McGoldrick said.
Constant airstrikes, shelling and sniper fire around the town had "killed and injured scores of civilians and have ground most services to a halt", including water supplies, he said.
The UN official appealed for a halt to fighting "to facilitate the delivery of assistance to Mokha and enable the free movement of civilians".
Military and medical sources said 25 Houthis and six soldiers were killed in the latest clashes on Wednesday for control of Mokha.
Peace be upon you! The battle in Syria is led by foreign parties which are basically in conflict. First, Iran has the money and Shia militias: Iraqi, Lebanese, Afghan and Pakistani, etc. Its main goal is to keep the war away from at least its southern border, in Khuzestan (Ahwaz), and western border, the Sunni Kurdistan (Sanandaj), which is important. Thus, it is trying to take out the Jihadi, Sunni ideology from the very beginning in Syria and Iraq before it can reach the above two areas. Second, the Sunnis are informed people and they have their own leaders and those who support them financially and ideologically, etc. Third, there are foreign parties that support such sectarian battles. Fourth, Allah only knows; we don’t know whether He wants the war to continue or not. If it is His will that the war continue, then it is up to Him. Fifth: There are some unknown and other known factors. Note: I have personally conducted a field study and lived with the conflicting forces in Syria. My own opinion is that the war will continue and evolve, and its main factor is sectarianism.
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They should learn to stop fighting. Otherwise, they should be taught that the consequences of war will appear in the aftermath of the war.
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