Yemeni refugees plead for protection from Houthi attacks

By Abdullah Ahmad
SANAA, Yemen (AA) – Yemeni refugees in the central Marib province on Tuesday appealed for humanitarian aid and protection from Houthi rebel attacks.

In a statement, refugees in al-Sumayya camp, south of Marib, said they were forced to leave their homes to flee Houthi rocket and drone attacks.

The refugees say that more than 1,800 families in the camp lack basic necessities amid absence of support from UN aid agencies.

The statement called on the Yemeni government to rally international support to provide protection for them against Houthi attacks.

There was no comment from the Houthi group on the statement.

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 Ahmed Asmar