Thousands need aid after Yemen conflict -watchdog
DUBAI, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Thousands of civilians in northern Yemen have been displaced by recent fighting between government forces and rebels and the state should ensure they get the aid they need, Human Rights Watch said.
The New York-based human rights watchdog said in a statement authorities had restricted humanitarian access to the region of Saada, ravaged by four years of fighting, leaving 70,000 people in remote areas outside the reach of aid agencies by October.
"Thousands of civilians are in need, and yet the government is still depriving them of aid," said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch.
"This violates international law and common decency. Countries and UN agencies that provide assistance to Yemen need to press the government to allow humanitarian access."
Fighting has raged on and off in mountainous Saada for the past four years between the government and rebels from the Zaydi sect of Shi'ite Islam led by Abdul-Malik al-Houthi.
The latest round of fighting erupted earlier this year but the government imposed an information blackout and blocked access to the region. The fighting ended in mid-July, but Human Rights Watch said tens of thousands remained outside the reach of aid agencies.
By mid-July, 60,000 displaced persons had found refuge in the town of Saada, where they received limited assistance in camps and private homes, the group said.
By the end of September, the government allowed humanitarian access to some other towns, but well into October, tens of thousands were still not getting assistance, it added.
One of the world's poorest countries, Yemen is struggling with a host of problems from an al Qaeda resurgence to political unrest in the south, to a burgeoning community of refugees crossing the narrow stretch of water from Somalia. (Reporting by Lin Noueihed; Editing by Charles Dick)
The New York-based human rights watchdog said in a statement authorities had restricted humanitarian access to the region of Saada, ravaged by four years of fighting, leaving 70,000 people in remote areas outside the reach of aid agencies by October.
"Thousands of civilians are in need, and yet the government is still depriving them of aid," said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch.
"This violates international law and common decency. Countries and UN agencies that provide assistance to Yemen need to press the government to allow humanitarian access."
Fighting has raged on and off in mountainous Saada for the past four years between the government and rebels from the Zaydi sect of Shi'ite Islam led by Abdul-Malik al-Houthi.
The latest round of fighting erupted earlier this year but the government imposed an information blackout and blocked access to the region. The fighting ended in mid-July, but Human Rights Watch said tens of thousands remained outside the reach of aid agencies.
By mid-July, 60,000 displaced persons had found refuge in the town of Saada, where they received limited assistance in camps and private homes, the group said.
By the end of September, the government allowed humanitarian access to some other towns, but well into October, tens of thousands were still not getting assistance, it added.
One of the world's poorest countries, Yemen is struggling with a host of problems from an al Qaeda resurgence to political unrest in the south, to a burgeoning community of refugees crossing the narrow stretch of water from Somalia. (Reporting by Lin Noueihed; Editing by Charles Dick)
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