The United Nations has renewed its warnings about the humanitarian disaster created by the Houthi militias’ escalation of hostilities in Yemen’s western Marib.
Its Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said nearly 400,000 of those residing in displacement camps could flee again to neighbouring governorates as the fighting continues.
According to the monthly report on the humanitarian situation there, with continued fighting, more civilians are expected to continue to flee towards the eastern outskirts of Sirwah and into Marib City.
It pointed out that the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) sites are already “crowded and response capacities are overstretched.”
“Should hostilities move towards the city and surrounding areas, 385,000 people could be displaced to the suburbs of Marib City and to areas in Hadramout governorate.”
Marib already hosts an estimated one million in 125 IDP sites, it said. Sirwah District hosts around 30,000 displaced people in at least 14 displacement sites.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said some displaced people have fled for the third time and many people carried their shelters with them to the new camps.
According to the UN report, the total number of civilian casualties and displaced people is still undetermined due to the ongoing fighting in the affected areas.
The actual number of displaced families is much higher than the announced figures, it stressed, noting that most of the displaced families fled to safer areas in Sirwah, Marib al-Wadi and Marib city.
As humanitarian partners continue to expand the scope of assessment and contingency planning, they ensured scaling up the response to accessible IDP sites and identified shelters, non-food items, food, water and sanitation, health and protection assistance as urgent needs.
Some 25 humanitarian agencies are operating, including seven UN agencies, six international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and 12 Yemeni NGOs, all of which have provided aid for almost 11,000 IDPs.
Houthis Reject Efforts to End Fighting in Marib
Houthi militia leaders are implying they will not cooperate with efforts spent on ending violence in Yemen, especially those mounted by the UN and US special envoys for the war-torn country.
The group’s foreign minister posted a tweet suggesting that Houthis will go against the grain with efforts to stop the military offensive on Yemen’s northeastern governorate of Marib, where the Iran-backed militia has been fighting to take over for four months now.
“They are talking about a partial battle and leaving besieged Yemen aside,” tweeted Mohammed Fleetah, accusing international efforts focused on stopping the battle raging in Marib of being insufficient for achieving a nationwide peace.
For the last few days, UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths and US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking have been spearheading concerted efforts to improve Yemen’s dire humanitarian situation, halting military escalation in Marib, and rebooting negotiations with the internationally recognized government.
As for the US lobbying for a UN Security Council resolution ordering the cessation of hostilities on Marib, Fleetah said that “any new activity by the UNSC will not be verifiable.”
The Houthi spokesman’s remarks reflect the insurgency’s thinking and ambitions for consolidating its hegemony over Yemen.
With Washington pressing ahead with wide-ranging talks to reach a ceasefire in Marib, Lenderking is mounting a regional tour alongside a senior US delegation that includes several State Department officials and members of Congress.
Next week, the US is expected to share the ongoing conversation at the UNSC on finding a solution for the Yemeni conflict, establishing a truce in Marib, and extending support for peace efforts mounted by Griffiths.
For the Yemeni government, the recent peace initiative tabled by Saudi Arabia represents the best way for resolving the conflict.
While the Saudi initiative includes a UN-monitored ceasefire nationwide, the reopening of Sanaa International Airport, and allowing of fuel and food imports through the Hodeidah port, the Aden-based Yemeni government said it doubts that Houthis will engage positively with the proposal.
Iraqi President Barham Salih called on Tuesday for limiting regional tensions and considered Iraq’s role essential in facing security and environmental challenges in the region.
Salih spoke during a meeting with a high-ranking US delegation at the Presidential Palace in the first such visit to Baghdad since President Joe Biden reached the White House earlier this year.
Iraq has a balanced policy to limit tension in the region, the President said in a statement.
He added that his country’s geographical location is essential in facing the challenges on combatting terrorism, and facing environmental disasters, climate change and desertification, and working to promote clean energy and sustainable management of water resources, through joint cooperation with regional and international networks.
The US delegation visiting Iraq is led by White House Coordinator for Middle East and North Africa Affairs Brett McGurk. It includes US State Department Adviser Derek Chollett, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Joy Hood, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle Eastern Affairs Dana Stroll.
The delegation affirmed Washington's commitment to supporting the security and stability of Iraq, ensuring its sovereignty, combating terrorism and strengthening its economy, and continuing work and joint coordination within the strategic dialogue between the two countries.
The US officials also met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, who said talks between the two sides emphasized on activating the outcomes of the strategic dialogue between Iraq and the US, especially on the withdrawal of combat forces from Iraq and the development of economic, cultural and trade cooperation.
They also discussed cooperation in combating the coronavirus pandemic as well as assistance to the rehabilitation of some health institutions in Iraq, said a statement issued by the PM’s office.
Kadhimi’s advisor, Hussein Allawi, told Asharq Al-Awsat that for the past 18 years, the Iraqi-US relations have developed towards a comprehensive cooperation and a strategic partnership in line with the agreements reached between the two governments and Iraq’s role in the international coalition to counter ISIS.
SOURCE: Asharq Al-Awsat
