Full-scale war might return to Yemen if Houthi strikes continue, the UN warns

Written by journalist Danylo Aleksandrov

On Monday UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said that the recent escalation in Yemen might lead to the country going back into full-scale war.

Türk said that called on all parties to the civil war in Yemen to cease de-escalate and ease the suffering of the civilian population, which had already suffered enough as the war has been going on for years. This led to widespread destruction, civilian casualties and displacement as well as famine.

Commissioner’s statement came after the most notorious of Yemeni armed groups – the Houthis – conducted one of the deadliest attacks in recent years of the conflict, killing 58 government troops, most of them in the Marib province, famous for its oil reserves. At the same time Houthi shelling of residential area and camps for the displaced people in the same region killed two people.

According to UN, at least 7 civilians were killed and 10 wounded by escalating Houthi attacks since 6th of August, which is several times higher than 2 people reported injured in the month of July.

The sea is not safe from this escalation. On 11th of August a cargo ship going through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait was attacked. As a result 4 crew members were killed, one national of Indonesia and 3 Pakistanis, with several other people injured.

These and other incidents influence the lives of civilian population. As such, the UN called for the attacks to stop and for the sides to stop the escalation before the situation turns worse.

The civil war in Yemen started in 2014, with several armed groups arising and battling each other and the government for control of the country or its parts. Among them the Houthis are considered one of the most powerful, able to attacks targets in neighboring countries and sea shipping, influencing the geopolitical landscape.