UN Envoy Warns of Dramatic Deterioration in Yemen

Special Envoy Martin Griffiths warned of a “dramatic” deterioration in Yemen's ongoing conflict, telling the Security Council on Tuesday that fighting has expanded on several fronts amid the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, the UN website reported.

“Fighting forces on both sides have suffered heavy losses in this unnecessary battle. I see shocking reports, as I am sure we all do, of children increasingly getting drawn into the war effort and deprived of their future,” Griffiths said.

The Special Envoy told the virtual meeting that even as the conflict intensifies, fuel shortages persist, contributing to a rise in the cost of basic commodities and impacting hospitals and other services. 

He stressed that given the links between the war and the humanitarian crisis, it is incumbent on the warring parties to stop fighting now more than ever.

“A nationwide ceasefire, along with the opening of Sana’a airport and ensuring the unhindered flow of fuel and other commodities into Yemen through al-Hudaydah ports, are urgent humanitarian imperatives,” he said.