Yahya Saria, Houthi Military Spokesman
Sana’a/New York: The United Nations last night (IST) condemned multiple drone and ballistic missile attacks reportedly carried out on Sunday against multiple locations in Saudi Arabia. Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who also call themselves Ansar Allah, claimed the responsibility. The global community also expressed concern about Saudi-led Coalition air strikes on Sunday on Sana’a and Hudaydah, apparently in response to the initial attacks.
Last week too, there were reports of an alleged Houthi attack against a Saudi Aramco facility in Jeddah.
The United Nations Secretary-General last night urged all parties to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law. “It is really quite simple — such actions are detrimental to the mediation efforts being carried out by our Special Envoy, Martin Griffiths, who will continue to work with all parties to advance the political process to reach a negotiated settlement to end the conflict, Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, told journalists in New York.
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The Secretary-General’s office also stated that it was checking with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Yemen about reports of a fire on Sunday at a detention facility in Sana’a that caused a significant number of deaths and severe injuries. The facility was managed by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which in a statement on Sunday calling for “urgent humanitarian access to migrants injured in Sunday’s deadly fire at an immigration holding facility in Sana’a, Yemen, the release of all migrants from detention in the country and a renewed commitment to providing safe, predictable movement options for migrants”.
The total number of migrants who died in the fire at the Immigration, Passports and Naturalization Authority (IPNA) Immigration Holding Facility remains unconfirmed, as official records have yet to be released. Over 170 people have been treated for injuries, with many remaining in critical condition.
IOM stated its personnel were present at the site when the fire broke out in a hangar next to the main building. Nearly 900 migrants, predominantly Ethiopian, were in the overcrowded holding facility at the time of the fire. More than 350 were in the hangar area.
Teams of IOM health workers and ambulances, and over 23,000 medical items including intravenous fluid, trauma kits and other essentials, were immediately dispatched to the facility and to major hospitals to provide urgent life-saving assistance alongside the Ministry of Public Health and Population.
“While the cause of the fire is still unconfirmed, its impact is clearly horrific,” said Carmela Godeau, IOM’s Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa. He added: “As many migrants are in a critical condition, meeting their health needs must be an urgent priority. We are facing challenges accessing the injured due to an increased security presence in the hospitals. Humanitarians and health workers must be given access to support the treatment of those affected by the fire and others who have been receiving long-term care from IOM and partners.”
Yemen remains a transit country for tens of thousands of migrants travelling between the Horn of Africa and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Dujarric said this underscored, the dire and very dangerous situation for human beings in Yemen, including migrants and refugees, who are seeking a better life.
Last week, it may be pointed out, there were reports of significant displacement in Marib Governorate, especially in Sirwah District, as fighting continued along several frontlines in recent days, including airstrikes, as well as the continued military offensive by the Houthis in Marib.
These actions undermine prospects for peace and regional stability and are detrimental to the ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.
Reports suggest that more than 14,000 people had thus far been displaced and aid agencies are warning that as many as 385,000 men, women and children could be forced to flee as a result of the offensive.
Time and again the United Nations has expressed its deep concern over the recent reports of increased Houthi cross-border attacks against Saudi Arabia and called call on the parties to refrain from further fanning the flames of conflict and remain committed to advancing the political process to reach a comprehensive negotiated settlement.
– global bihari bureau
