United Nations Radio

Calling the humanitarian situation in Yemen serious, John Holmes, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Relief says despite some progress registering and providing relief to the internally displaced, more must be done.

UNHCR rep talking to displaced Yemenis

On Sunday at the end of his four-day mission to Yemen, Mr. Holmes expressed particular concern about those who can't be reached because they're trapped in conflict zones. He says civilians are at high risk from the conflict and it is women and children, who comprise 80% of the displaced population, who are most vulnerable.

"The biggest issue is in fact not in defense of people we're seeing today because they are getting help and they are accessible, it's the people who are not accessible at the moment, particularly in the Sa'dah governorate where the main fighting is particularly in Sa'dah City where a lot of people have taken refuge and have been displaced for some time now. But also some of the other governorates around Sa'dah where we are having great difficulty of access because of insecurity in setting up camps because of some cultural issues and some land issues."

Meanwhile, on Sunday the UN refugee agency, UNHCR has begun a cross-border aid operation to Yemen in an effort to assist thousands of internally displaced persons trapped in and around Sa'dah city in northern Yemen. The agency reports that the IDPS have been inaccessible for the past two months due to fighting between government troops and the Houthi-led Shia rebels. The first batch of emergency supplies includes mattresses, blankets, hygiene kits and kitchen sets for 2,000 people.

Gail Walker, United Nations Radio
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