Yemen: Houthi-held areas suffer worst fuel crisis since 2015

Yemen’s Houthis said yesterday that areas under their control have been suffering from the worst fuel crisis since the war began in 2015.

Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV quoted Issam Al-Mutawakel, a spokesman for the group’s oil company, as saying: “Yemen is witnessing the worst oil derivatives crisis since the start of the aggression and siege seven years ago.”

He said queues of cars hoping to fill up with gasoline extend for more than three kilometres in various governorates.

“The oil company is ready to end the hydrocarbon crisis, provided that oil tankers are allowed to cross through the port of Hudaydah,” he added.

The group accuses the Arab coalition and the internationally backed government of seizing oil ships and preventing their entry to the port of Hudaydah.

The internationally-recognised government requires that all revenues of ships entering the port be deposited in a bank account not controlled by the Houthis and to use the revenues to pay the salaries of state employees throughout Yemen, which the Houthis reject.

READ: UN Security Council imposes arms embargo on Yemen’s Houthi group