What’s happening in Yemen today
4.14.2015 edition
By the Reported.ly Team
We are creating a daily rundown of events in Yemen as Saudi Arabian-led airstrikes against Houthis that began March 26 continue. The Houthi militia has been fighting the Yemeni government for nearly a decade, and in recent months has made enormous gains across the country, including capturing the capital, Sana’a.
For an explanation of what happened in the first few days of the military action, read our synopsis.
Update 5:16 p.m PT (12:16 a.m. GMT)
Houthis call UNSC resolution an act of “aggression”
On a broadcast to their official TV station, Houthis condemned the resolution approved earlier today, reported Al Jazeera.
The Houthis said they call “on the masses of the Yemeni people to rally and protest on Thursday to condemn the Security Council resolution in support of the aggression.”
Evacuations: 310 Americans and their families arrive in Djibouti
The U.S. Ambassador to Djibouti said the embassy had received a number of American citizens.
For yet another day, reporters pressed the U.S. State Department during a press briefing about the evacuations of citizens. Today, acting spokesperson Marie Harf had something different than her usual refrain of the U.S. has no plans at this time.
QUESTION: On the American citizens who are remaining there —
MS HARF: Uh-huh.
QUESTION: — the Embassy in Djibouti has received and is helping some that have arrived there with consular services.
MS HARF: And I have a little bit more information. I think you asked me about what they’re doing on the ground in Djibouti.
QUESTION: Right. The ambassador said today earlier, I think, that they were getting reinforcements to help. What does that mean?
MS HARF: Yeah, so I have some — yep, I have some more information on that. So while awaiting security screening and processing by Djiboutian immigration officials, U.S. citizens and their families have been offered food, water, medical attention, hygiene items, infant care items, access to phones to contact relatives, and when feasible, a place to — it’s quite hot there; I think a place to stay and remain that’s out of the heat and a little more comfortable. These have been — much of this food and the items have been provided by embassy employees and local staff, which I think is important. The Department of Homeland Security has granted exceptional authority for the consular team in Djibouti to accept and approve immigrant visa petitions for spouses, children, and parents of U.S. citizens. The State Department is working to transfer immigrant visa cases for recently arrived refugees to Djibouti. We are also increasing consular staffing in Djibouti in order to process petitions for immigrant visa cases as quickly as possible; also to help Yemeni — help U.S. citizens with Yemeni family members find long-term housing while they work through their options here.
Yemen asks for a “sea embargo”
At his daily press briefing, Brig. Gen. Ahmed Asiri said a few days ago the coalition asked for help with a sea embargo, which states that “coalition forces have the right to visit and search at any time” within territorial waters, reports the Saudi Press Agency.
There is already a naval blockade, which has been preventing some aid and food from coming into Yemen.
Yesterday, the Baltic and International Maritime Council advised ships, unless carrying food or aid, to avoid the port of Aden. The Council cited a ban from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which stated: “Yemen has banned entry into the territorial waters and has authorized coalition countries to implement the decision, adding that the ban has been imposed on the country’s maritime zones.”
Local reports
Note: Citizen reports of airstrikes and their damage have been tough for us to confirm. Use your best judgement.
Lahj and Al-Dhale’e
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) these two governorates, which already suffered from poverty, are in desperate need of food, non-food items, hygiene kits and water.
There is no electricity in the hospital so the cold chain storage facilities in both governorates are not working, meaning stored vaccines are likely to get damaged.
Sir-Wah
Ammar Al-Aulaqi reports from local sources that the area is suffering from clashes.
Sana’a
Continued reports of airstrikes tonight, as well as blackouts earlier today. Fuel prices have also skyrocketed, witnesses say.
Photos: A stadium in Ibb on Monday
Photos taken by Reuters show the destruction of a stadium in the central city.
Update 1:00 p.m. ET (6:00 a.m. GMT)
UN Security Council resolution sanctions Houthis, again
UNSC Resolution 2216 (2015), voted on by all UN Security Council members except Russia, demands Houthi withdrawal from all areas they have seized, extending sanctions, imposing travel bans and an arms embargo. Russia abstained, citing the lack of humanitarian language in the text, and the need for a comprehensive arms embargo. Targeted sanctions had been imposed by Resolution 2140 (2014), and extended by Resolution 2204 (2015), while Resolution 2201 (2015), adopted last February, had demanded the Houthis withdraw from government institutions.
Humanitarian airlifts into Sana’a continue
UNICEF airlifted 75 tons of humanitarian aid into Sana’a on Tuesday, including antibiotics, bandages, syringes and hygiene kits, the second such shipment in as many weeks, noting that supply ships carrying wheat and fuel were recently refused entry at the Hodeidah port.
“While deliveries of humanitarian supplies are welcome, they can never replace regular commercial shipments of food and fuel essential to health and water services on which millions of Yemenis depend.” -UNICEF Yemen Representative Julien Harneis
Medecins Sans Frontieres also airlifted 15 tons of medical supplies into Sana’a on Monday.
LNG plant declares force majeure
The Yemen LNG Company announced that it’s ceasing liquefied natural gas production and exporting at its Balhaf plant, and preparing to evacuate workers, citing further degradation of the security situation. Balhaf is an industrial port town, 143km from Mukalla, seized by Al Qaeda in early April. The plant had undergone another two-week force majeure incident in January, due to deteriorating security after the collapse of the Hadi government.
The latest on evacuations
After completing the evacuation of 4,640 Indian nationals and about 960 foreign nationals from 41 countries last week, India evacuated its embassy personnel from Sana’a on Tuesday.
Russia evacuated 308 people of 19 nationalities from Yemen, including 18 U.S. nationals. Russia Today quoted the Russian Foreign Ministry saying that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry expressed gratitude to Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, and an unnamed American evacuee on a Russian plane saying that “people now think that Yemeni Americans are like second-class Americans.”.
500 people, including 140 American citizens, were evacuated to Djibouti from Aden, on board an Indian vessel on Monday.
“60% of the population has fled” from Aden
Medical personnel continue to work under harrowing conditions in Aden, as an Indian aid worker with MSF evacuated last week recounted, saying 60% of the city’s population has fled.
The wounded kept coming to the hospital in droves, but aid givers were running out of supplies. Electricity become unreliable, and people were unable to cope in the extreme weather that is characteristic of the country.
