Yemen: Three children killed among 56 casualties in 72 hours as conflict escalates
Three children and eight adults are reported to have been killed and at least 45 other people injured in the past three days in intensifying conflict across Yemen [i].
In Yemen’s central Marib city on Sunday, two children were reportedly killed in missile strikes and 24 people, including two children, injured. This followed fighting on Friday in the northern city of Sa’ada, where five civilians were killed and 11 others wounded. On Saturday in the southern city of Aden four civilians, including one child, lost their lives and at least 10 people were injured.
Fighting on the country’s frontlines has surged in recent weeks as economic collapse and poor public services fuel widespread unrest. With the conflict in Yemen now in its seventh year, hundreds of thousands of people are trapped between conflict and violent riots.
Save the Children’s Country Director for Yemen, Xavier Joubert, said:
“In just 72 hours 56 casualties have been recorded, including 11 fatalities. Devastatingly, three innocent children are among the dead. Almost every day we hear of children and families caught up in the fighting, often paying with their lives. Yemen’s children risk death or injury by venturing outside and get caught up in the frequent shelling and bombing of places where they should feel safe – homes, schools, hospitals, and marketplaces.
“Many have seen loved ones die before their eyes. This is the tragic reality for millions of children who are trying to survive the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Over the last few months, we have seen a significant increase in fighting coupled with heightened levels of civil unrest, which is exacerbating the humanitarian needs of civilians.”
Save the Children calls on warring parties to respect International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law and take all adequate measures to protect civilians and civilian structures in times of conflict.
Alastair Russell, Senior Public Affairs Adviser at Save the Children, said:
“Only a lasting ceasefire, along with a political solution between all parties to the conflict that allows unrestricted humanitarian access to the most vulnerable families, can end this crisis. As penholder on Yemen at the UN Security Council, it is the responsibility of the UK to help make this happen.”
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[1] All casualty data from the Civilian Impact Monitoring Project
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