UN warns about ‘deteriorating’ situation in Yemen’s Taiz as road closures block vital supplies

The UN on Tuesday warned that the humanitarian situation in Yemen’s Taiz is worsening, as road closures and insecurity block vital supplies from reaching millions, Anadolu reports.

Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told a news conference that “road closures and insecurity are preventing vital supplies, including fuel, from entering the city and surrounding areas, leaving millions of people at risk of losing access to essential goods and services.”

Dujarric said the situation in Taiz “is deteriorating,” citing colleagues on the ground.

“We and our partners are doing everything possible to support people in need and help bring essential goods, services and medical supplies into Taiz,” he said.

READ: US envoy says ground intervention in Yemen ‘appears pointless,’ urges regional alliances

He stressed, however, that “humanitarian efforts cannot meet these needs if essential supplies are prevented from reaching the city.”

“Roads must open,” Dujarric added.

Citing the UN Refugee Agency, he warned that the crisis is also driving further displacement in the country.

Displacement “continues to rise sharply across the country, reaching more than a quarter of a million people as of 17 October, up from close to 213,000 previously reported,” said Dujarric.

He added that “shelter remains the most cited need among newly displaced families.”

Yemen has been engulfed in conflict since 2014, when the Houthis seized the national capital, Sanaa, and much of the north.

READ: More than 250,000 displaced in Yemen since August as fighting escalates: UNHCR