On Friday, Oxfam warned of the risks posed by the continuation of military operations in Yemen, which is experiencing a devastating war that threatens an unprecedented humanitarian disaster in this impoverished country. The UK-based charity stated in a report published on its website on Friday, "Yemen is suffering from the second-largest food crisis globally, after the Democratic Republic of the Congo." The civil war in Yemen has been ongoing since late March 2015, leading to "the worst humanitarian crisis in the world," according to the United Nations, which asserts that around 24 million Yemenis, or more than two-thirds of the population of 30 million, need urgent humanitarian assistance, many on the verge of famine.
The conflict is between the internationally recognized government, supported since late March 2015 by a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia, and the Iran-backed Houthi group, which has controlled the capital, Sana'a, and vast areas in the north and west of the country since September 2014. The report, titled "The Hunger Virus is Multiplying," confirmed that "Yemen is one of the worst countries in the world regarding hunger rates." It noted that the blockade and conflict have pushed food prices up by more than 100% since 2016, while humanitarian aid has been halved, decreasing the humanitarian response and reducing food assistance provided to 5 million people.
The report predicts that "more than 16 million people in Yemen will face a crisis or worse levels of food insecurity this year." It also stated that the number of people experiencing famine-like conditions has nearly tripled to reach 47,000 in July 2021.
The World Bank had stated in early July that Yemen, "the poorest country on the World Bank's list in the Middle East and North Africa region, is experiencing the worst humanitarian crisis in the world since 2015 due to the escalating conflict." It added, "By the end of 2020, the death toll in Yemen reached 233,000 people, half of whom died from lack of food, or inability to access healthcare, in addition to the lack of basic infrastructure needed to provide these services." It warned that about "20 million Yemenis... suffer from food insecurity and the risk of malnutrition, as two-thirds of them cannot provide enough food and drink." The ongoing conflict in Yemen has "forced more than 4 million people to flee their homes."
