Dozens of children killed, injured in Yemen: UNICEF

By Aziz Al Ahmadi

SANAA, Yemen (AA) – Dozens of Yemeni children have been killed or injured in clashes across the country in the past two months, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Saturday.

“Just over the first two months of this year, 47 children were reportedly killed or maimed in several locations across Yemen,” Philippe Duamelle, UNICEF Representative to Yemen, said in a statement.

Duamelle said conflict in the Arab country has intensified since last year with children always being “the first and most to suffer.”

“Since the conflict escalated in Yemen nearly seven years ago, the UN verified that more than 10,200 children have been killed or injured. The actual number is likely much higher.”

He called on all sides to the conflict and “those with influence over them” to protect civilians and particularly children “at all times.”

“Violence, misery and grief have been commonplace in Yemen with severe consequences on millions of children and families. It is high time that a sustainable political solution is reached for people and their children to finally live in the peace they so well deserve,” the UN official said.

Yemen has been engulfed by violence and instability since 2014, when Iran-aligned Houthi rebels captured much of the country, including the capital Sanaa.

The conflict has created one of the world's worst man-made humanitarian crises, with nearly 80% of the country, or about 30 million people, in need of humanitarian assistance and protection and more than 13 million are in danger of starvation, according to UN estimates.

*Writing by Ibrahim Mukhtar in Ankara