YEMEN-SECURITY/TAIZ Yemen civilians pay heavy price in Taiz as health care collapses - UN

Record ID: 140548

  • Title: YEMEN-SECURITY/TAIZ Yemen civilians pay heavy price in Taiz as health care collapses - UN
  • Date: 1st September 2015
  • Summary: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (SEPTEMBER 1, 2015) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS NEWS BRIEFING ONGOING UN HUMAN RIGHTS SPOKESWOMAN, CECILE POUILLY, AND UN SPOKESMAN, AHMAD FAWZI, DURING NEWS BRIEFING JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) UN HUMAN RIGHTS SPOKESWOMAN, CECILE POUILLY, SAYING: "We are alarmed by the steep increase in the number of civilian casualties in Taiz, in the recent weeks, as well as the untenable humanitarian situation, which is being made worse by blocage of supplier routes into Taiz city by popular committees affiliated with the Houthis." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION SPOKESMAN, CHRISTIAN LINDMEIER, SAYING: "The cases of dengue fever have more than tripled in the past two weeks from 145, 1-4-5, in mid-August, to 421, 4-2-1, as of 25 August; and due to the ongoing crisis, 103 deaths and 628 injuries reported from 15 to 27 August alone are a great concern for WHO and the whole humanitarian community. However, the risk of other communicable diseases, like cholera, also remains high, especially given the poor water and sanitation conditions during this period as mentioned." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) UN HUMAN RIGHTS SPOKESWOMAN, CECILE POUILLY, SAYING: "Since the beginning of the conflict and its escalation on 26 March, we have documented some 6,631 civilian casualties, so 6,631, including 2,112 deaths - civilian deaths- 2,112, and 4,519 wounded. These are conservative figures, which are based on the information gathered by our field monitors, and the actual numbers could be much higher." UN SYMBOL
  • Embargoed: 16th September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Switzerland
  • Country: Switzerland
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVASSBZZ6Y77IUPD26J84F1XOMY
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Nearly 100 civilians have been killed in the past two weeks in Yemen's frontline city of Taiz where a dire situation is compounded by a collapsing health care service and worsening outbreak of dengue fever, the United Nations said on Tuesday (September 1).
    The toll of 93 includes 53 civilians who died in Saudi-led air strikes on Taiz's Sala palace on Aug 21, that also hit 20 homes, it said. Fighters in the Houthi-affiliated popular committees were believed to be based in the palace at the time.
    "We are alarmed by the steep increase in the number of civilian casualties in Taiz, in the recent weeks, as well as the untenable humanitarian situation, which is being made worse by blocage of supplier routes into Taiz city by popular committees affiliated with the Houthis," U.N. human rights spokeswoman Cecile Pouilly told a news briefing.
    The southwestern city, Yemen's third-largest, has become the latest focus of fighting for supporters of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who was driven into exile in Saudi Arabia by Houthi fighters in March.
    During the latest two-week period, 42 civilians were killed in Taiz by snipers and shelling blamed on some popular committees affiliated with the Houthis, Pouilly said.
    Attacks by the Saudi-led coalition on Hodeida port, a key entry point for aid supplies and commercial imports for Yemen, are complicating relief efforts, Pouilly added.
    Cases of dengue fever, a mosquito-borne viral disease that can be fatal, in Taiz soared from 145 in mid-August to 421 as of Aug 25, the World Health Organization said.
    The WHO has sent life-saving medicines to Taiz, including surgical kits to cover the needs of 6,000 wounded, WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier said. The agency called last week for a ceasefire and humanitarian corridor to allow access to 3.2 million people in Taiz deemed at risk.
    "The risk of other communicable diseases like cholera also remains high especially given the poor water and sanitation conditions during this period as mentioned," he added.
    Since the conflict escalated in Yemen on 26th March, U.N. monitors have documented 6,631 civilian casualties, including 2,112 deaths.
    "These are conservative figures which are based on the information gathered by our field monitors and the actual numbers could be much higher," Pouilly said.
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