Yemen is the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis. Ten million people face starvation and 7 million are malnourished. Hodeidah, Yemen has a recorded 799 civilian casualties, the highest in the country, making it the most dangerous place in the war-torn country.
This accounts for a quarter of all civilian casualties in the whole Yemen in 2019, a year after the Stockholm Agreement was signed.
Families continue to flee for their lives, with close to 390,000 Yemenis uprooted from their homes across the country so far in 2019. Half of the displaced came from just three governorates – Hajjah, Hodeidah and Al Dhale’e.
Fighting and restrictions put in place by the authorities are hampering aid organisations from reaching the communities in greatest need.
Conflict also continues to block people’s access to markets and services, and inflicts damage on essential infrastructure such as hospitals, schools, and water systems.
Last month’s signing of the Riyadh Agreement as well as a general de-escalation in hostilities presents a real window of opportunity to end the war. If urgent action is not taken we could see another five years of conflict, leading to a greater catastrophe for civilians.
The recent announcement on opening Sana’a airport for medical flights is a positive sign. If implemented, it will help thousands of sick Yemeni’s access lifesaving medical care.
Latest casualty and humanitarian figures
- A total of 1,008 civilians were killed by armed violence so far this year, down from 2,049 for the whole of last year.
- More civilians were killed or injured by ground fighting this year than in the 12 months before.
- Over 2,100 incidents of armed violence impacted civilians since the Stockholm Agreement – no improvement on the 12 months prior.
- An increased number of civilians were killed or injured by explosive ordnance, from 349 people impacted last year to 504 so far this year.
- 327 incidents of armed violence directly impacted civilian houses in 2019, 60% of the total incidents. Half the child and women casualties in 2019 resulted from incidents impacting houses.
- Over 40% of all incidents of armed violence impacting civilians occurred in Hodeidah Governorate. A quarter of all 3,086 country-wide civilian casualties took place in Hodeidah, followed by Taiz Governorate.
- The overall number of civilian casualties dropped compared with 2019, largely owing to a significant reduction in airstrikes in Hodeidah, and a recent de-escalation of violence across the country.
- Data and analysis on civilian casualties and impact on civilian infrastructure was conducted by ACAPS and CIMP. This is open source data and has not been separately verified by the INGOs that are signatories here. (Source: Relief Web)