Over 540 killed in Yemen conflict; 4,000 Indians evacuted

Over 540 people have been killed and 1,700 injured in the fierce fighting in Yemen in the past few weeks with relief agencies on Tuesday warning of a dire situation due to dwindling supplies in the strife-torn Arabian Peninsula state.

“More than 540 people have been killed and 1,700 injured in the violence in Yemen between March 19 and April 6,” WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier said as humanitarian and political crisis deepened in Yemen due to fighting between rebels and loyalists of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi.

United Nations Children's Fund, meanwhile, said at least 74 children have been confirmed killed and 44 maimed since March 26, but added that it believed the toll to be far higher.

“And this is a conservative estimate and we expect death toll of children to be much higher. These children should be accorded immediate special respect and protection by all parties to the conflict in line with international humanitarian law,” UNICEF spokesperson spokesperson Christophe Boulierac said.

Relief agencies have warned of a dire situation as they are facing a biggest challenge of providing urgent medical and other supplies in the Arabian Peninsula state, where a Saudi-led coalition is waging an air war on the Iran-backed Houthi Shiite rebels.

“The access on the ground is most problematic. Since the conflict escalated we have been able to provide eight inter-agency health kits for 240,000 beneficiaries but that comes from the warehouses in Sanaa and Aden so they come from materials that are already on the ground...but access to bring new material is the biggest challenge,” said Lindmeier.

Across Yemen, over 1,00,000 people have been displaced and hospitals are under increasing pressure with dwindling supplies and attacks on medical facilities.

“There are not only the immediate needs for trauma and injuries, the problem is also for example, something like a cold chain for a vaccine in a hospital where if vaccine cannot be given like in other conflict areas you will have diseases spreading like measles and all these services are disrupted and it will hit the most vulnerable and children of course,” Lindmeier added.

“WHO is coordinating with Ministry of Public Health and Population for locally procuring generators sets to maintain the cold chains for vaccines. Also, shortage of fuel is creating additional challenges,” Lindmeier said.

The International Committee of the Red Cross estimates at least 48 tonnes of medical supply-needs in Yemen.

The WHO is also providing fuel for running the water supply pumps in three cities in the south including Aden, where water systems have been damaged in the fighting.

The breakdowns in water supply in some areas are greatly increasing the risk of disease outbreak.

Saudi-led military coalition who were blocking shipments of aid and medical staff by air have now allowed a Red Cross plane into the country.

"Today we have a cargo plane being loaded in Jordan with 16 tonnes of medical supplies. We expect the plane to reach tomorrow," ICRC spokeswoman Sitara Jabeen said.

The remaining 32 tonnes will be loaded from Geneva.

The ICRC three days back had called for an immediate humanitarian pause to the fighting to enable help to reach people cut off due to intense air strikes and fierce ground fighting nationwide.

Meanwhile, the total number of Indian evacuees from war-ravaged Yemen on Tuesday touched 4,000 mark with nearly 700 more nationals, including 600 from Sanaa, rescued in three air sorties as government decided to end the air evacuation operation on Wednesday.

While 600 were rescued by Air India, over 100 were being evacuated from Al Hudaydah by INS Turkish, officials said.

“We will end our air evacuation efforts from Sanaa on Wednesday and all those who want to leave should do so by tomorrow,” the Spokesperson in the External Affairs Ministry said.

Asked about any remaining Indians, sources said 4100 Indians had registered with the Indian mission in Yemen and most of them are out. The government may continue the evacuation by sea route for some more time, they added.

Meanwhile, 11 Indians who were evacuated by the Pakistan Navy's Aslat from Yemen's southeastern city of Mukallah reached Karachi on Tuesday and are expected to return home on Wednesday.

India had also received requests from 26 countries including the US, Bangladesh and Iraq for assistance in evacuating their nationals from the strife-torn country. While Pakistan has not sought help for the evacuation of its nationals, India during the operation also rescued Pakistani nationals.

The evacuees were being taken to Djibouti from where they will fly back to India in an Indian Air Force aircraft.

Official sources said the evacuation operation was going on notwithstanding the deteriorating situation across Yemen.

Yemen has been witnessing fierce battle between Saudi-led coalition and Shiite rebels, who have battled their way into various cities Yemen including in the former stronghold of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi who has fled overseas.