A boy cries at a hospital malnutrition intensive care unit in Sanaa, Yemen.
Nearly 12 million people in Yemen are on the verge of famine, the World Food Program (WFP) said Tuesday.
Herve Verhoosel, WFP's spokesperson, explained the concern to reporters in Geneva saying: "Yemen is currently facing the world's worst hunger crisis, with almost 18 million people throughout the country not knowing where their next meal is coming from.
"If the situation persists, we could see an additional 3.5 million severely food insecure Yemenis, or nearly 12 million in total, who urgently require regular food assistance to prevent them from slipping into famine-like conditions."
He noted that the UN is making all efforts to tackle the crisis.
Alain Goma, a French citizen who had been held captive in Yemen by Houthi forces, was freed on Tuesday, a statement from the French president's offfice said.In the statement, President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged the assistance of Saudi authorities and of Oman's Sultan Qaboos bin Said al-Said in bringing about Goma's release.Goma had been in prison in the Yemen capital Sanaa, which is under Houthi control, after being transferred from the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, where his boat ran into difficulties in June. Attacks kill 15 civilians in Yemen’s Hudaydah: UNAir strikes kill 10 civilians in Yemen's Hodeidah province
French citizen freed after being held by Yemeni Houthis
WFP reported it currently has a storage of grains which is enough to feed 6.4 million people for two months.
Aid workers also face difficulties in distributing food to people in need due to lack of security.
Wheat stocks that can feed 3.7 million people for a month are stored at the UN's Red Sea Mills facility but cannot be transported.
Impoverished Yemen has remained wracked by conflict since 2014, when Shia Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including the capital of Sanaa.
The conflict escalated the following year when Saudi Arabia and its Sunni-Arab allies launched a wide-ranging air campaign in Yemen aimed at rolling back the Houthis’ territorial gains.
The ongoing violence has devastated Yemen’s basic infrastructure, prompting the UN to describe the situation as “one of the worst humanitarian disasters of modern times”.
At least 15 civilians were killed and 20 others injured in attacks on minibuses in Yemen’s western strategic Hudaydah province, according to the United Nations on Sunday.“This is a horrific incident,” Lise Grande, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, said in a statement.“The United Nations agencies working in Yemen unequivocally condemn the attack on civilians and extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims,” she added.The attacks reportedly struck the minibuses as they were traveling in Jabal Ras district in Hudaydah on Saturday.One third of Yemen's girls lack access to education: UN“Under international humanitarian law, parties to the conflict are obliged to respect the principles of precaution, proportionality and distinction,” Grande said.“Belligerents must do everything possible to protect civilians—not hurt, maim, injure or kill them,” she stressed.According to UN estimates, more than 170 people have been killed and 1,700 others injured, while more than 425,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in Hudaydah since June.Impoverished Yemen has remained wracked by violence since 2014, when Shia Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including capital Sanaa.The conflict escalated in 2015 when Saudi Arabia and its Sunni-Arab allies launched a massive air campaign in Yemen aimed at rolling back Houthi gains.The ongoing violence has devastated Yemen’s basic infrastructure, prompting the UN to describe the situation as “one of the worst humanitarian disasters of modern times”.Air strikes kill 10 civilians in Yemen's Hodeidah province
Attacks kill 15 civilians in Yemen’s Hudaydah: UN