What’s happening in Yemen today

4.17.2015 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 9:18 a.m. (4:18 p.m. GMT)

Children face humanitarian disaster

Sana’a based NGO SEYAJ for Childhood Protection published data on Facebook on the conditions facing Yemenis, and appealed to President Mansour Hadi and the Saudi-led coalition to ensure access to food, medicine and fuel, particularly in areas impacted the most from the conflict, like Aden.

• At least three million children from Sana’a, Aden, Saada, Taiz, al-Hodeidah, Ibb, Ataq and Haradh live in very dire situations due to power blackouts, and lack to food and medicines.
• More than five million students, male and female, were deprived from their right of education as schools were shut down in Sana’a and a number of Yemeni governorates.
• The number of displaced people are more than half a million, most of them left Sana’a, Aden, Lahj, Ibb, al-Hawta, Ataq, Haradh, and villages of the borderlines in north west of Yemen.
• About 150 schools were targeted, partly or to totally destroyed, occupied by militias and used as weapon stocks between the period from the mid of 2014 and April 2015.

Humanitarian aid updates

The WFP announced the distribution of food for 105,000 displaced people in Aden.

“We appeal to all warring parties to the conflict to allow us to replenish our food and fuel stocks to save lives,” Purnima Kashyap, WFP

The United Nations launched a flash appeal for $273.7 million of funding, to respond to the most urgent humanitarian needs for the next three months. UN agencies continue to use Twitter to post updates on shortages facing the population and medical personnel, and to appeal for access.

What’s the endgame?

Saudi officials recently claimed that the airstrikes have been successful
toward their stated goal of forcing the Houthis to disarm, abandon their hold on Yemen and reinstate Hadi. However, U.S. officials quoted anonymously by the L.A. Times, and echoed by commentators, appear highly sceptical of Saudi claims, and worried about Al Qaeda’s resurgence in Yemen.

City reports

Note: Citizen reports of airstrikes and the resulting impact on their lives have been tough for us to confirm. Use your best judgement.

Sanaa

Airstrikes on Sana’a have again intensified, especially on the Faj Attan hill, repeatedly bombed since the beginning of the offensive.

Sleep under almost constant bombardment is a challenging proposition…

..and municipal services have been disrupted due to shortages.

Taiz

The presidential palace in Taiz, Hadi’s last refuge before he fled the country, was apparently demolished by airstikes targeting Houthi forces. Photos during, and after the airstrike, with the palace in rubble were widely shared.

Saada

Photos showed a government bank and residential buildings reportedly hit by airstrikes on the city, and parachute bombs deployed in the Al Saqeen district.