Starvation threatens city in Southern Yemen

The city of Taiz in southern Yemen is facing a severe hunger emergency, according to the UN World Food Programme (WFP). In a statement today, WFP said the city had not received food aid in weeks. Roads have been blocked by fighting between the Saudi Arabia-backed coalition and the Houthi rebels.

There are tens of thousands feared to be starving. Muhannad Hadi, WFP الان اليمن Regional Director for the Middle East, said today, "We plead for safe and immediate access to the city of Taiz to prevent a humanitarian tragedy as supplies dwindle, threatening the lives of thousands including women, children and the elderly."

As civil war has gripped Yemen, the population has suffered from food shortages. WFP and its partners are the only force able to prevent famine.

But now with access blocked due to violence, Taiz and other cities are bordering on starvation. A report in June listed Taiz and nine other governorates in Yemen facing emergency levels of hunger. These levels are just one step below famine.

Even before the civil war began, Yemen had a high rate of hunger and malnutrition. Since the fighting escalated, the number of Yemenis in severe hunger has risen to 7.6 million people. Around one in eight children under age 5 is at risk of severe malnutrition, according to UNICEF. The malnutrition stunts children physically and mentally and cannot be reversed.

WFP is struggling to reach around 2 million war victims per month. The rising violence has made WFP's mission one of the most dangerous in the world.

Low funds also threatens the delivery of life-saving food aid. WFP, which depends on voluntary donations, needs funds to move supplies into Yemen.





Yemen is one of numerous hunger emergencies unfolding in the Middle East. Wars in Syria and Iraq have also combined to create an unprecedented number of hungry refugees in the region. Yemen may be the largest tragedy الان اليمن of them all unless the war can be stopped.

Peace talks are scheduled to take place mid-November in Geneva. They cannot happen soon enough for the millions of hungry and scared Yemenis.