The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has reported that the number of civilians killed in three months of violence in Yemen has risen to 1,500 amid worsening human rights and humanitarian situation in the war-torn country. New data released by the U.N. on Tuesday said that 92 civilians, including 18 women and 18 children, were killed between June 17 and July 3 and another 179 injured. It said that brings the total number of civilians killed since March 27 to 1,528 with 3,605 having been injured. The number of civilians who had been internally displaced or sought refuge in neighboring countries has also exceeded 1 million since the conflict began, according to the report. "Since 17 June, ground clashes, shelling, sniper fire and detonation of improvised explosive devices have been reported in different governorates in Yemen," said Cecile Pouilly, spokeswoman for the OHCHR.
It said humanitarian access also remains severely constrained by the recent violence. Stephen O'Brien, the top U.N. humanitarian affairs official, said millions are facing the threat of famine because they do not have access to food assistance. "Millions are under the threat of famine and countless wounded are dying because hospitals are closing down due to a lack of fuel," he said. The U.N. rights office is also acutely worried about increasing attacks against places of worship, saying that the targeting of five mosques with car bombs over the past few weeks is an alarming trend creating sectarian divisions. "Since June 17, there has been further destruction of civilian infrastructure, with at least 36 buildings, including hospitals, schools, court houses, power generation facilities and communications institutions partially or totally damaged in the governorates of Sanaa, Aden, Taiz, al-Jawf, al-Mahwit, and Hajjah," Pouilly said.
Stressing the necessity to agree to an immediate humanitarian pause across the country, Pouilly said: "We urge all sides of the conflict to ensure that international human rights law and international humanitarian law are respected, and to ensure that all feasible measures are taken to protect civilians." The U.N. has also accused all sides of human rights abuses and breaches of humanitarian law including attacks on aid workers, medical staff and journalists. Despite pressure from the U.N. and the international community for a cease-fire agreement during Ramadan, violence has continued. Fractious Yemen has remained in turmoil since last September when Houthi rebels overran the capital from which they have sought to extend their influence to other parts of the country.
Yemen's slide into civil war has made the country a crucial front in mostly Sunni Saudi Arabia's rivalry with Shiite Iran, which Riyadh accuses of stirring up sectarian strife through its support for the Houthis. Sunni Arab monarchies around Yemen have condemned the Shiite Houthi takeover as a coup.
