Yemen Civil War
Starting in 2014, Yemen has been under attack by a clan called Houthi who have now taken over the capital, Sanaa, and the Yemeni government.
Yemen is located in the Middle East, near the North-East tip (horn) of Africa. It borders Oman and Saudi Arabia. It has a population of 35 million, 3.5 million of which live in the capital, Sanaa.
What's Happening?
Since 2014, there has been a complex civil war in Yemen involving numerous parties. Following their seizure of Sanaa, the Houthi, who are Shia followers, proclaimed themselves the rightful rulers of Yemen. In response, a coalition led by Saudi Arabia intervened in 2015 to defend President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi's internationally recognised government. A severe humanitarian catastrophe brought on by the fighting has resulted in widespread displacement, food insecurity, and restricted access to basic services.
Yemen is experiencing a horrible famine, which has been made worse by the country's economic collapse, import restrictions, and interruptions brought on by the conflict. An already weakened healthcare system has been further pushed by illnesses such as Covid 19. A lack of trust between the warring parties have made peace efforts, led by international organisations like the UN and the US, difficult. The violence has taken a terrible toll on civilians, which has led to worldwide condemnation for violations of human rights and deaths of civilians. Yemen's civil war continues to be a debilitating and ongoing disaster, calling for continuous international attention and coordinated efforts to find a lasting resolution.
There are almost 5000 children fighting in the war and over 11 million are in need of humanitarian assistance, taking up more than half of the 22 million people needing it. This civil war is so bad as it is not just war they are fighting, but famine, epidemic and a pandemic all at the same time. Over 10 thousand children have died as of the war and more than 150 thousand adults.
Timeline
Since then:
March 2021 – Conflict between the Hadi government and the Houthis escalates in Marib governorate. The fighting coincides with ongoing Houthi missile and drone attacks against Saudi oil facilities and airports. The Houthis refuse to meet with then-UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths to discuss a peace period for the conflict.
August 2021 – Amid continued air attacks from Houthi rebels, the Biden Administration removes its most advanced missile defense systems from Saudi Arabia. September 2021 – Houthi renew their offensive position in the Marib Governorate. Government security forces forcefully respond to widespread protests across southern Yemen, killing three protesters. On September 18, Houthis execute nine people on charges of involvement in the Saudi-led coalition airstrike in April 2018.
October 2021 – Clashes continue around Marib between Hadi government and the Houthis. Government forces prepare to defend their last remaining northern city, Marib city, trapping 2 million civilians in the province. Houthi retake control of the city. Government forces state they are withdrawing troops from Hodeida to send them to reinforce the front lines.
December 2021 – Due to falling international funding, the World Food Program cuts food aid to Yemen.
January/February 2022 – Houthi launch a series of unprecedented attacks against the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, including air attacks across the border and taking control of a UAE vessel in the Red Sea. The Saudi-led alliance responds with a bombing campaign in Sanaa, which leads to a four day black out nation wide. UAE backed forces regain control of areas near Marib. The United Nations Security Council continues a travel ban and asset freeze on those who threaten the peace. The World Food Program declares that the humanitarian situation in Yemen is worsening because of the Russian war on Ukraine.
Causes of War
Protesters for democracy flocked to the streets in an effort to persuade Ali Abdullah Saleh, the president, to abandon his 33-year reign. He responded with economic concessions, but he wouldn't step down. By March 2011, the capital city of Sanaa was experiencing street disturbance that led to protesters being killed by the military. Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi, the vice-president, took office in November when an international settlement was reached, setting the door for elections in February 2012 in which he was the only candidate running for the position of interim president. The Houthi in the north opposed Hadi's efforts to amend the constitution and the budget.
Consequences
The political civil war in Yemen has claimed an increasing number of lives lost. It has left a great impact on the rest of the world and especially the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) area. Even if the parties reach an agreement on a political framework for Sanaa governance, their ability to put an end to violence in the countryside in the near future will be severely restricted. Through political engagement, the international community has attempted to settle the issue with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco and more all having an impact on the war, allowing the parties to return to Sana'a and resuming crucial government responsibilities. The Saudi military has been embarrassed by its inability to either defeat the Houthi/Saleh troops or effectively defend its borders, giving Saudi Arabia a bad look upon the rest of the world. Both parties have valid arguments for wanting the conflict to cease.
Several important insights emerge from their collective work that help put into context, the developments of the last couple of days: The United States is already fairly deeply involved in Yemen, regardless of whether the US public has been paying attention to any of it.
For several years, the United States has been fighting a quiet war there with the cooperation of the Yemeni government, mostly using drones and special forces, against al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). Many other experts, however, including Ibrahim Sharqieh, deputy director of Brookings Doha Center, have questioned whether those efforts have been effective and whether they have rather contributed to Yemen’s instability, creating suspicion around the US's involvement even though the US, along with the European Union have been involved in diplomatic efforts to find a resolution to the Yemen crisis. They have been providing humanitarian aid and have, at times, expressed concerns about the humanitarian situation and the need for a political settlement.
Agricultural Impacts
Yemen's agriculture has not been going so well up until 2014 where it took a massive hit with cereal and other local food production being greatly affected. Cereal production has decreased around 65% since 2012. The conflict/civil war, climate variability and natural disasters have all taken a toll on the agriculture production in Yemen. From in 2020, Covid 19 and floods coincided with locust outbreaks, economic collapse, fuel crisis and flow reduction of humanitarian aid have made the situation much worse
The United States' Efforts to Help
Over the past eight years, the U.S. government has allocated nearly $4.5 billion to alleviate the suffering in Yemen. In 2021s financial year alone, they provided over $711 million in humanitarian aid. In March 2022, the U.S. Government pledged an additional almost $585 million in humanitarian assistance. This includes more than $561 million from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for emergency food aid, malnutrition prevention and treatment, and safeguarding vulnerable populations. Moreover, $282 million will be used by USAID and the U.S. Department of Agriculture across six nations, including Yemen, to combat acute food insecurity and rising wheat prices resulting from the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Through USAID and the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, the U.S. Government provides vital support such as emergency food aid, medical care, vaccinations for children, obstetric services for women, essential items for displaced families, and disease prevention supplies. This assistance extends to vulnerable refugees and migrants residing in Yemen.
Finally, USAID backs targeted development efforts in areas under Yemen Government's jurisdiction. This encompasses enhancing fiscal and monetary policy management, facilitating trade, ensuring access to vital services like health, education, water, and sanitation, COVID-19 prevention and mitigation (including vaccine donations and logistical support), creating economic opportunities for the most vulnerable Yemenis, building community resilience, and supporting conflict resolution in line with the peace process.
Bibliography
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