September Net

The Yemeni government stressed on Tuesday the need to stop Houthis from suspending the distribution of aid in areas falling under their control, as Saudi Arabia condemned the Iran-backed militias for looting humanitarian aid.

The Yemeni-Saudi positions came after the World Food Program said in a statement on Monday that “humanitarian workers in Yemen are being denied access to the hungry, aid convoys have been blocked and local authorities have interfered with food distribution.”

Houthi leaders have repeatedly obstructed the agency’s ability to choose how to distribute the food aid, it charged.

The Yemeni Foreign Ministry criticized “the silence of some humanitarian organizations in Yemen on the Houthis’ unjustified practices in diverting humanitarian aid, and arresting and threatening aid workers.”

The Ministry added that the WFO statement revealed that the greatest challenge for their humanitarian aid assistance comes from the uncooperative role of some Houthi leaders.

Nevertheless, the Ministry praised the courage and responsibility of the officials running the WFP in Yemen.

“We call upon the international community to take resolute measures to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches all those affected without any hindrance from the Houthis,” it said.

Meanwhile, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) said on Tuesday that it has repeatedly called on the international community and the United Nations and its organizations and agencies working in Yemen to confront and address the violations of Houthis in blocking, looting and damaging humanitarian aid.

“It is time for the international community and the UN with its agencies to take the strongest measures and decisions to prevent the recurrence of such inhumane actions and pressure Houthi militias to allow the distribution of humanitarian assistance to the beneficiaries within the areas” controlled by the Iran-backed group, the Center said.

It also stressed the Kingdom’s keenness to deliver humanitarian assistance across Yemen, including areas controlled by the militias.