UN Warns Yemen’s Civilians Face Deepening Humanitarian Crisis
"Yemen’s civilians are paying a brutal price for this escalating conflict," Tom Fletcher said in a post on X.
He highlighted deteriorating conditions in the besieged city of Taiz, where roads remain closed and essential supplies are becoming increasingly scarce. The city, which has a population of approximately one million, has seen its water production fall by half, while food prices have risen by at least 50%.
Hospitals are also facing shortages of fuel and medicines, Fletcher said, warning that the situation is placing further pressure on civilians already affected by the conflict.
Fletcher said he had discussed the humanitarian emergency with Yemen's Foreign Minister Afrah Abdulaziz Al-Zouba. He added that humanitarian organizations had managed to reach nearly 260,000 displaced people, but acknowledged that "needs are outpacing our response."
He called for roads to be reopened to allow aid and essential supplies to reach affected communities.
"Our asks are clear. Open the roads and let them through. Civilians cannot be held hostage by the fighting," Fletcher said.
The UN official also condemned the death of Mohammad el Shami, an employee of the UN Human Rights Office in Yemen who died while in Houthi custody. He said 70 UN employees and dozens of other humanitarian workers remained detained.
"They are not bargaining chips. Release them," he said.
El Shami, who worked for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), had been arbitrarily detained by the Houthi group since June 6, 2024. His death marked the second reported case of a UN employee dying in Houthi detention.
Ahmed Ba'alawi, a national staff member of the World Food Program, had also been held by local authorities in northern Yemen since Jan. 23, 2025. He died in detention on Feb. 11 of the same year.
Yemen has been engulfed in conflict since 2014, when Houthi forces took control of the capital, Sanaa. A Saudi-led military coalition intervened in March 2015 to support the internationally recognized government.
The prolonged war has produced one of the world's most severe humanitarian emergencies, leaving millions of Yemenis reliant on international assistance to meet their basic needs.
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