More than three-quarters of Yemenis are now in need of humanitarian aid as the war between the Houthis (Ansarallah) and the legitimate government nears its fourth year, the UN said Tuesday (January 16th).
According to the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 8.4 million are at risk of famine, up from 6.8 million in 2017, AFP reported.
A total of 22.2 million people, or 76% of Yemen's population of 29 million, are dependent on some form of assistance, an increase of 1.5 million people over the past six months.
On Monday, a ship carrying four US-purchased mobile cranes docked in the port of al-Hodeida, which is under the control of the Houthis and has been under blockade by the Arab coalition supporting the Yemeni forces.
Around 70% of Yemen's imports pass through al-Hodeida, and UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the cranes will "significantly boost the discharge of humanitarian cargo".
"This will allow for faster delivery of relief items for Yemeni families in the grips of the world's biggest hunger crisis," he said.
But UN aid officials warn that access for humanitarian deliveries remains a concern, even if the blockade is lifted.
