Yemeni Conjoined Twins Die Due to Airport Closure, UN Negligence

The Director of the Health Office in Sanaa, Dr. Mutahar Al-Maroni confirmed to Saba News Agency that the conjoined twins died as a result of the failure to be transferred abroad to receive the necessary medical care to save their lives, in light of the lack of specialized medical devices and cadres in Yemen.

He explained that the United Nations was called more than once to transport the conjoined twins abroad through its own flights from Sanaa International Airport, but it did not respond. He stressed that medical care was provided for the twins according to the available capabilities in a hospital in Sanaa.

Dr. Al-Maroni pointed out that the death of the conjoined twins reflects the extent of the human suffering of the Yemeni people as a result of the closure of Sanaa International Airport, which has caused the death of thousands of patients who need treatment outside Yemen.

He called on the United Nations and all international and humanitarian organizations to intervene to open Sanaa airport to save the lives of thousands of patients.

Saudi Arabia and many of its allies have been waging a war on Yemen since 2015 to restore power to the country’s Riyadh-friendly former officials. The war and a simultaneous siege that the US-Saudi-led coalition has been enforcing on the country has killed hundreds of thousands of Yemenis.

The cases of congenital malformations in births have increased in Yemen in recent years due to the US-Saudi aggression’s use of prohibited weapons in bombing Yemeni cities and villages for seven years.

Sanaa Airport has been closed to civilian flights since 2015 by the US-Saudi aggression. Only UN planes can land there currently and re-opening the airport is a key aim of the Salvation Government.