NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / April 3, 2025 / Action Against Hunger
Published by Action Against Hunger.
On the night of April 1 to 2, US-led air strikes hit a health center supported by Action Against Hunger in northwestern Yemen. These attacks are part of a worrying upsurge in hostilities in the poorest country on the Arabian Peninsula.
As a result of the air strikes, the Huqah health facility in Washhah district, Hajjah governorate, was completely destroyed and a nearby school damaged. Since May 2024, a reported 9,670 children and 401 pregnant and breast-feeding women have received healthcare at the health facility.
"Fortunately, as it was a night strike, all the health professionals working in the facility and members of our team are safe", explains Anne Garella, Director of Operations for Action Against Hunger in the Middle East. "Medical facilities and personnel are explicitly protected under international humanitarian law. We remind all parties to the conflict that it is imperative to guarantee the safety of civilians and humanitarian workers".
The intensity of strikes has increased considerably in recent weeks in northern Yemen, controlled by the Houthi authorities. On March 15, bombardments killed at least 53 people, including five children, and wounded around a hundred in a residential area of the capital Sanaa, according to local authorities.
Action Against Hunger is concerned about the consequences of escalating armed violence on civilians, in a country plunged into a devastating decade-long conflict. "We note that air strikes are now reaching densely populated areas and civilian infrastructures: this is a worrying trend," stresses Anne Garella. "These attacks are threatening people's access to livelihoods and the ability of humanitarian organizations to intervene, while humanitarian needs continue to grow, particularly in the north of the country".
19.5 million people are in need of humanitarian aid in Yemen, an increase of 1.3 million compared to 2024. Food insecurity is rampant, with around 2.7 million pregnant and breastfeeding women in need of treatment for acute malnutrition, and 55% of children under five suffering from chronic malnutrition.
Operating in Yemen since 2012, Action Against Hunger supports the rehabilitation of sanitary infrastructures and access to drinking water and hygiene, provides psychological and psychosocial support to people affected by violence and abuse, supports health centers in areas most affected by malnutrition, and works to strengthen the capacity of households to generate income and access food in markets. In 2023, our programs supported more than 323,000 people across the country.
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Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 21 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across 59 countries, our 8,900 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.
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SOURCE: Action Against Hunger
