800 Days of War: Yemen Heads toward Total Collapse

LONDON (Reuters) – As war-torn Yemen faces a famine threatening to kill 7 million people and trying to counter an unprecedented cholera outbreak, Saudi Arabia and its allies are stepping up the bombing of their impoverished neighbor, who has already killed more than 12,000 people and destroyed the country’s infrastructure.

Saudi warplanes reportedly hit a health center treating cholera patients in the far northwest of the country on Saturday.

The attack resulted in the death and injury of a number of people in the facility in the province of Saada, according to the television network “Masira” Yemeni, citing the health authority in the province.

The attack came at a time when “less than 45 percent” of medical facilities in the country were operating, according to the UN envoy to Yemen.

Most of the food and medical supplies go to Yemen via this strategically important port at the entrance to the Red Sea near the Bab al-Mandab Straits.

The Emergency Relief Coordinator and Under Secretary of State for Humanitarian Affairs Stephen O’Brien blamed the international community for the worsening humanitarian crisis in Yemen, which since the beginning of May has seen a sharp increase in the number of cholera cases in the country.

According to UNICEF, about 65,000 Yemenis now suffer from this deadly disease, with 10,000 new cases reported in the last 72 hours alone.

UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Gert Kaplier, expressed concern that cholera cases could be doubled every two weeks – to 130,000 cases and 300,000 cases – unless further assistance is provided.
About 70,000 cases of suspected cholera were reported last month in 19 of Yemen’s 22 provinces, Kabiller said in an interview with the Associated Press.

More than 27 million Yemenis are staring at a merciless humanitarian disaster, “said Miritxil Relano, another UNICEF representative in Yemen.

Kabiller warned that the outbreak could spread beyond Yemen and confuse all neighboring countries of Yemen, where the Saudi war is now in its third year.

Capelier said the outbreak was the latest horror faced by Yemeni children as well as growing famine. “Yemen is one of the worst places in the world to be a kid,” he said.

“It’s sad today, but we hope the cholera outbreak is the turning point in turning people’s attention to Yemen,” he said. “Cholera will not be stopped by any limits.”

Saudi Arabia and its regional allies, backed by the United States, launched a military campaign against Yemen to re-establish its previous government in March 2015. The war has killed more than 12,000 civilians since then.
The invasion was compounded by the Saudi blockade of the country.

“Yemen is one of the highest number of children suffering from acute malnutrition in the world.” Public services are on the brink of collapse, “UNICEF warned.” Anyone who has a heart for children can not continue the situation in Yemen! ”

Ceasefire attempts to date have failed due to repeated Saudi violations.