Yemen: Escalating Conflict Flash Update 20 | 28 April 2015

Daily Key messages

Attacks on hospitals must stop. All parties to the conflict are legally obligated under International Humanitarian Law to respect and protect civilians and to spare them from the effects of the fighting.
Overview

Violence has disrupted services at two major health facilities. On 27 April, militants entered Al Jumhouria Hospital, the main hospital in Aden, and started shooting. Patients and doctors fled the attack, but the militants reportedly took some people who were receiving medical treatment. In Haradh, the main public hospital, which offers services to more than 150,000 people, is almost deserted by staff and patients following an attack on the town on 24 April. Many people have fled the town in cars and trucks, heading south to Abs District and Al Hudaydah City.

In the last 24 hours, airstrikes hit a military brigade in Bajel District, reportedly killing 30 people as well as locations in Az Zaydaiah Districts in the Al Hudaydah Governorate. Also hit were Midi and Haradh districts in Hajjah governorate, prompting many families (number to be confirmed) to flee to Al Hudaydah City. A vocational institute in Jihana District, and a military camp in Khwlan District in Sana'a Governorate, were also hit. In Aden, airstrikes hit the Ministry of Finance, damaging nearby residential buildings and killing an unknown number of civilians. A humanitarian worker lost three members of her family while four others were injured and hospitalised.

In Hajjah Governorate, armed militants entered a humanitarian compound on 27 April. The matter is being followed up by security partners. A week ago, armed militants again entered the same compound. In Aden, a rocket hit a building housing a humanitarian organization in the evening of 27 April. No casualties were reported.

The lack of fuel is hindering public services and the private sector. Water processing plants which supply residences with drinking water in Sana’a City have closed, operations at financial institutions and public transport have been reduced. Some bakeries in the city have closed because of the lack of fuel and shortage of wheat flour.

Displacement and casualties

Data compiled by OCHA as of 28 April shows that the number of people displaced by the escalating conflict in the 19 governorates has increased significantly. Humanitarian partners had estimated that at least 150,000 people were displaced as of 17 April but that number has now more than doubled. Available data shows that governorates with the highest numbers of those displaced include Hajjah, Al Dhale’e and Abyan.

An estimated 1,000 migrants from the Horn of Africa, mostly Ethiopians, are stranded in Al Hazm town, Al Jawf Governorate, local partners reported. The migrants are unable to cross the border because of insecurity and stricter Saudi Arabian border controls.

Access and humanitarian response

Response

Partners reported that food distributions in Hudaydah Governorate will stop today because their fuel stocks have been exhausted. Operations in the other locations will also run out of fuel in the next few days. Despite the continued conflict and insecurity, 106,000 people received food assistance on 27 April. This brings the total since 15 April to 490,000 people in seven governorates, Aden, Sana’a, Al Hudaydah, Hajjah, Al Mahmit, Dhamar and Lahj.

In Amran town, a humanitarian partner in partnership with the Ministry of Health is conducting a four-day training workshop on community-based management of acute malnutritionfor health workers from the Al Asha, Al Qaflah and Harf Sufyan districts. Because of transport difficulties, only 13 out of 30 invited are participating in the workshop that started on 27 April.

The Governor of Hajjah has asked that the Area Humanitarian Country Team in Haradh brief him on the findings of their recent assessments and response plans. While the humanitarian team has agreed, in principle, to brief the governor, it was impossible to travel to the meeting on 27 April because of insecurity.

Funding

The UK Government will allocate £4 million to the Country Pooled Fund in Yemen. It forms part of the UK’s commitment to provide £72 million to Yemen in 2015 and 2016, including £11 million for humanitarian assistance. Meanwhile, the UAE has committed AED100 million (over US$27 million) to support relief efforts by the Yemeni Government headed by Vice President Khalid Bahah.

The deadline to upload all projects in the Flash Appeal is at midnight (Geneva time), 28 April 2015. The projects will be reviewed on 29 and 30 April to enable the Humanitarian Coordinator to sign off on the projects on 1 May and to ensure the rapid disbursement of funds. The approved projects can be implemented as soon as the MOU is signed.