22 million Yemenis need help...

More than 22 million people now need help Yemen, where the risk of famine spreads with the war between the rebels, supported by theIran, and the government, supported by theSaudi Arabia, said on Tuesday theONU. A new report from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) notes that 22,2 million Yemenis (76% of the population) need help in the impoverished and war-torn country, an increase of 1,5 .8,4 million people in the past six months alone. The risk of famine is also on the rise, with 6,8 million people facing hunger, up from 2017 million in 72, according to Ocha. These figures cover more than half of the country's districts, including 95 of the XNUMX areas most at risk of famine.

More than 1500 schools across Yemen have been damaged or completely destroyed due to the three-year conflict, according to the report. Some schools are occupied by armed groups. Last year, the United Nations declared Yemen to be the scene of "the worst humanitarian crisis in the world". The war pits government forces against Houthi rebels, from the Zaydi minority (branch of Shiism), who conquered large territories, including the capital Sanaa in September 2014. Since March 2015, a military alliance led by Saudi Arabia has been into action in Yemen to support government forces.

Dependence on international aid

Some 9000 people have been killed and more than 51.000 injured, including many civilians, since the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen, according to the latest figures from theWorld Health Organization (WHO). More than 2200 people have also died due to a cholera outbreak which has hit the country since April, according to the WHO. Yemen is largely dependent on international aid and food imports which are subject to restrictions, with Saudi Arabia and its allies having imposed controls at ports due to suspected Iranian arms transfers to the Houthis.