Fighting displaces 1,500 families in Yemen’s Marib

By Ali Aweidah
SANAA (AA) – Fighting between government forces and Houthi rebels has caused to displace more than 1,500 families in eastern Marib province, the Yemeni government said on Tuesday.

A report published by the Executive Unit for the Management of Camps for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) said that 1,517 families were displaced in the period between Feb. 6 and 21.

In recent days, Houthis escalated their attacks in Marib in an effort to take control of the oil-rich region. The province is a stronghold of government forces and home to the headquarters of the Yemeni Defense Ministry.

Last week, the US urged Houthi rebels to cease all military operations in Marib and return to negotiations, the same day the Treasury Department formally revoked the terror-designation for the rebel movement by the previous US administration of Donald Trump.

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

A Saudi-led coalition aimed at reinstating the Yemeni government has worsened the situation, causing one of the world’s worst man-made humanitarian crises with 233,000 people killed, nearly 80% or about 30 million needing humanitarian assistance and protection, and more than 13 million in danger of starving to death, according to UN estimates.

*Ibrahim Mukhtar in Ankara contributed to this report