ReliefWeb

KEY ISSUES:

• Humanitarian partners are concerned at the safety of more than 4,000 civilians near the frontlines in Al Hudaydah Governorate.

• Updated casualty figures compiled by WHO from health facilities indicate that nearly 9,500 people were killed and 55,000 more were injured over the last three years.

• The purchasing power of the Yemeni currency is now below half of what it used it to be.

CONCERNS AT THE SAFETY OF CIVILIANS LIVING NEAR FRONTLINES IN AL HUDAYDAH GOVERNORATE

Humanitarian partners are concerned about the safety of more than 4,000 civilians living near active frontlines in Al Hudaydah Governorate. Local partners report that families are currently sheltering around Hays, At Tuhayat and Al Garrahi Districts where sporadic armed clashes have continued. During the reporting period, fighting was also reported in Al Khawkhah District.

Fighting in Al Hudaydah and Taizz Governorates has resulted in scores of people killed and injured and has displaced more than 130,000 people since December 2017.

Humanitarian partners are assisting some of the displaced in the areas covered by Al Hudaydah hub, but as shown in the map, a significant number of districts have high access constraints. Southern districts of Al Hudaydah Governorate and northern districts of Hajjah Governorate, where the conflict is most active, are among the hardest to reach.

UPDATES FROM THE HUMANITARIAN HUBS

Al Hudaydah Hub: On 24 April, airstrikes reportedly hit a fuel station located in Abs District, killing 20 people and injuring 30 others. The INGO Action Contre La Faim reported supporting 663 newly displaced families from Hays district hosted in Al Garrahi District with nonfood item (NFI) packages. UNHCR supported 1,200 vulnerable displaced families living in Al Qanawes District with NFI packages. A total of 714 households of these received emergency shelter kits. UNHCR also provided 240 vulnerable displaced families in Al Hudaydah City with rental subsidies covering three months.

Aden Hub: The total number of families reportedly displaced to Aden Hub since December 2017 has reached 9,536 households as of 22 April. According to a displacement tracking report, the number of IDPs increased by 102 households over the last week, 75 of which were reported in Tuban and Tur Al Bahah Districts in Lahj Governorate and 27 in Zingibar District in Abyan Governorate. Displacement figures remain unchanged in Al Mukha and Dhubab Districts in Taizz Governorate, that is 618 and 55 households respectively.

Aden Governorate reportedly suffered from sewage overflow, especially Mualla, Sheihk Othamn, Mansorah and Dar Saad Districts. Government efforts yielded in the provision of new four suction tankers with a total cost of US$1 million. In Al Buraiqeh District, CARE has started rehabilitating a water network to help cover the water shortage in IDP settlements in Aden Governorate.

Ibb Hub: In Taizz Governorate, heavy clashes between government forces and Ansar Allah reportedly continued in Maqbanah, Mawza and Dimnat Khadir districts. Following the killing of an ICRC staff last week, clashes erupted between government forces and armed groups, including ISIS, in Taizz city. In the latter, shortages of drinking water continued as fuel could not be delivered to the water department due to the ongoing clashes.

UNICEF reported the delivery of nutrition supplies to Government Health Offices both in Ibb and Taizz governorates. The supplies are to be distributed to 82 health facilities in Ibb and to 86 health facilities in Taizz.

UNHCR completed the distribution of non-food items to 37 families (293 individuals) in Dhi AsSufal District of Ibb Governorate.

Sa’ada Hub: Escalated airstrikes and ground fighting continued across the districts bordering the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Sa’ada Governorate and the frontlines in Al Jawf Governorate. Civilian casualties were reported.

According to local authorities, about 1,270 households have been displaced in the last few months in Kitaf Wa Al Boqe’e, Shada’a, Qatabir, and Ghamr districts in Sa’ada Governorate. UNHCR reported the distribution of 1,000 non-food item packages and 500 emergency shelter kits in Bquim and Razih Districts.

Sana’a Hub: The Protection Cluster reported that the number of civilian impact incidents in the Sana’a hub fell during the period from 19 to 25 April, although airstrikes hit an electricity power station in the south of Sana’a City. Five civilians were injured in the airstrike, and the damages caused to the facility will potentially affect 320 people.

During the reporting period, the Dhamar Customs Office held three trucks carrying nutrition assistance items from Aden to Sana’a. The items were to be warehoused in Sana’a before being dispatched to Al Hudaydah Governorate. The Nutrition Cluster and OCHA are following up with the local authorities.
Meanwhile, Al Joumhoury Hospital in Sana’a City has warned that it may have to close its dialysis centre due to lack of supplies.