Yemen: Houthis use humanitarian aid to ‘blackmail and recruit’ citizens

The Yemeni government has accused the Iran-backed Houthi militias of using humanitarian aid to “blackmail and recruit” local citizens, Anadolu has reported. Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed made the allegation during a meeting with UN Resident Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, David Gressly.

The officials discussed humanitarian issues and obstacles faced by aid organisations. “The Houthis impose such obstacle to undermine the organisations’ work and steal the humanitarian aid in order to use it in a way that serves their agenda,” insisted Saeed. He reiterated the importance of monitoring the situation in order to prevent aid being stolen and used in this way.

For nearly a decade, Yemen has been involved in a civil war between the internationally-recognised government and the Houthis. According to the UN, by the end of last year 377,000 had been killed. Millions more have been displaced.

Yemen has suffered economic losses estimated at $126 billion, in what the UN describes as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

READ: Houthis propose holding talks with Yemen gov’t in Oman