eight years it’s already long war in Yemen. A rooted conflict And forgotten by the West, which has put the country in such a situation. humanitarian crises the worst in the world. Yemenis are starving as two warring parties – the Saudi-backed government and the Iran-backed Houthi rebels – become pieces in a geopolitical chess game that transcends their borders. Next, keys between war in his country Middle East.
The seed of conflict
per year 2011, Yemen lived his special The Arab Spring, with a self-inflicted popular uprising President, dictator Ali Abdullah Salehhanding over power to number two, Abdurabbuh Mansur Hadi. weakness of the new president harassed by Economic crisis and the scourge radical islamused without consideration. Houthi rebel minority. officially known Ansar Allah (Supporters of God), the group advocates Zaydi Shia Muslim minority from Yemen.
In early 2014, rebels took control of the city. saada provincein the north of the country and later took the capital, Angerforcing president come on To flee abroad in March 2015.
but neighbor Saudi Arabia The strengthening of the rebels, supported by Iranian, eternal rival. At this point, the conflict takes on the face of a geopolitical strategy by going beyond the borders of the country. Saudi Arabia is leading a coalition of the US, UK and France to quell the rebels and eventually reinstate President Hadi.
Saudi Arabia vs Iran
ground troops in August 2015 coalition landed in the port city Eden and expelled the Houthis from the south Yemen. However, they could not get them out of the capital, Sana’a, and from the north of the country. While the official government of Yemen was established in the Yemeni city of Aden, the fleeing President Hadi stayed in Saudi Arabia.
This hutis They formed an alliance with the previous president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, to form the government of the region under their control. But in December 2017Salehwho broke away from the Houthis and urged their supporters to fight them. murdered and the rebels defeated their forces.
In 2018, those loyal to Saleh joined the Saudi-led coalition. Together, they launched a major offensive against the Houthis to recapture the Red Sea city of Hudayde. The port of this city is the main source of livelihood for millions of people. Yemenis at risk of famine. After six months of fierce fighting, both sides agreed to a ceasefire in the city.
The conflict intensified, forcing thousands of people to flee their homes. Houthis attacked targets in the region Saudi Arabia And United Arab Emirates ballistic missiles and drones, and those that attempt to disrupt infrastructure such as oil facilities but harm civilians. Saudi and American officials blame Iranian Although Tehran has always denied the accusation, smuggling weapons like drones to the Houthis in violation of the UN arms embargo. The United Nations ensures that there are indications that both sides of the conflict are committing crimes against humanity.
shy approaches
In April 2022, the UN reached a ceasefire between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthi rebels, but the parties failed to renew it six months later. However, they recently admitted to exchange some 900 prisoners as a measure of confidence that is expected to lead to permanent ceasefire.
5 planes with about 200 prisoners from both sides took off from the capital, Angerin their hands rebels since 2014 and Maribthe last government stronghold in the north of the country. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) stated that the prisoner exchange took place thanks to an agreement reached in March. Switzerland.
The world’s worst humanitarian crisis
United Nations did not hesitate to describe it. The humanitarian crisis plaguing Yemen as the world’s worst. The figures show that 4.5 million people, one in seven, have been displaced by conflict, 24.1 million people, or 80% of the population, are in need of international humanitarian assistance. close to six million people Yemen They live on the brink of famine.
According to UN calculations at the beginning of 2022, the conflict in Yemen will 377,000 deaths60% was a result of this hunger, lack of health care and unhealthy water. The plight of minors is particularly dramatic: At least 11,000 children have been killed or injured as a direct result of the conflict.
Yemen It has also suffered one of the largest cholera outbreaks ever recorded, with 2.5 million suspected cases and nearly 4,000 cholera-related deaths since 2016.