Due to the ongoing conflict, millions of Yemenis are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection. UN warns of possible escalation in Yemen Peace and Security
Combat activities are intensifying in Yemen and, if this trend continues, escalation on the battlefield is inevitable. UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg announced this at a briefing at the UN Security Council.
“As I noted earlier, in recent months we have seen a gradual increase in fighting, including last month when clashes were reported in Dhal, Laha, Marib and Taiz, as well as constant threats from all sides return to war,” said Grundberg.
Escalation in the Red Sea
Speaking of escalation in the Red Sea, Grundberg said that Ansar Allah has stepped up attacks on commercial and military vessels: over the past month, three commercial vessels were hit damage. For its part, the US-led coalition continued airstrikes on Houthi-controlled areas in Hodeidah, Sanaa and Taiz. place of a regional situation that is beyond our control. I am also concerned about the steps and rhetoric of the parties that lead to escalation,” the Special Envoy said.
“However, I remain hopeful because, despite everything, we are seeing some positive developments. This week we saw the opening of two additional roads – one connecting the city of Marib with Sana’a through the Juba region, and the other running between the city of Taiz and the neighboring region of Hawban, allowing civilians to move across the front line that runs through for the first time in more than nine years city,” Grundberg added.
He called on Ansar Allah to immediately and unconditionally release all detained UN and NGO personnel, and to refrain from arbitrarily detaining civilians.
The parties introduce financial restrictions
In recent weeks, both the de facto Houthi authorities and the Yemeni government have issued competing and increasingly strict directives banning individuals, businesses, and local and international financial institutions from dealing with banks based in territories controlled by the other side. The representative of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Edem Wosornu, reported this to members of the Security Council.
She also noted that banks based in Sana’a may be excluded from the SWIFT system , which will prevent them from participating in international financial transactions.
“These events could have potentially catastrophic consequences. They threaten to further fragment and weaken Yemen’s already struggling economy,” said Vosornu. to import food and other essential goods, which will further limit the availability of essential goods and lead to higher prices. And they disrupt the flow of remittances on which many families in Yemen depend,” she added. and hunger and increasing dependence of the population on humanitarian aid. However, under the current conditions, it will be much more difficult to carry out humanitarian operations, she warned.
Vosornu called on the parties to put the interests of the Yemeni people first and put an end to “hostile economic measures.”
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