Houthis destroy relief aid depots in Hodeidah

Houthis destroy relief aid depots in Hodeidah
The humanitarian situation in the country has affected up to 12 million Yemenis. (AFP)
Updated 08 January 2019
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Houthis destroy relief aid depots in Hodeidah

Houthis destroy relief aid depots in Hodeidah
  • The militia deliberately attacked the storage depots to cover up their looting activities
  • Dr. Abdulraqeeb Fath said the Houthis were responsible for the worsening humanitarian condition

DUBAI: The Houthi militia has bombed storehouses of relief organizations in Hodeidah, which contained food and basic goods to be distributed to the Yemeni people, UAE state news agency WAM has reported.

The militia deliberately attacked these storage depots, located 7 kilometers east of Hodeidah, to hide their raids in which they looted humanitarian aid intended for Yemenis, local eyewitnesses said.

Dr. Abdulraqeeb Fath, the Yemeni Minister of Local Administration and the Chairman of the High Committee for Relief in Yemen, said the Houthis were responsible for the worsening humanitarian conditions in the country and that they sold the stolen items for profit.

The United Nations World Food Programme (UNWFP) supported the accusations, and accused the Houthis of disrupting the distribution of humanitarian support in the conflict-ridden country.

The disruption was tantamount to stealing food from the mouths of the hungry, UNWFP Executive Director David Paisley said, and called for a stop in these practices.