July 4-10: AQAP storms Aden base, Hadi makes brief visit to Marib

Monday, July 4Saudi Arabia intercepted a ballistic missile fired across the border from Yemen early Monday, the Saudi-led coalition reported. The missile, which was launched by Houthi forces towards the southern Saudi city of Abha, was intercepted with no injuries after the missile launcher was destroyed by the kingdom’s air defenses.

Gulf News reports that it was at least the fourth ballistic missile launched across the border since the ceasefire and UN-brokered peace talks began in Kuwait in April between the Houthis and Hadi’s government. The Saudi-led coalition has similarly violated the ceasefire with continued airstrikes.

Yemen’s Central Bank refused to pay government employees on Sunday due to its severe shortage of funds. The bank is reportedly facing a daily deficit of 94 billion rials, "resulting from a lack of tax revenue and a 200% reduction in the country's revenues."

A governmental report submitted by Yemeni Finance Minister Munser al-Quaiti to ambassadors of donor countries within the context of the Kuwait peace talks two weeks ago said the Houthi militias seized $1.6 billion of foreign exchange reserves during the past 16 months under the pretext of “war efforts.”

Tuesday, July 5 Rockets launched by Houthi forces killed seven children and wounded twenty-five other civilians in Marib. One rocket reportedly struck a courtyard where the children were playing while two other rockets hit a home and a storefront. The number of casualties was provided by the director of Marib’s main hospital, which received the victims.

Wednesday, July 6 An attack by al-Qaeda at Aden’s Solaban military base in Khormaksar killed at least fourteen soldiers and wounded dozens more. Six attackers were also killed.

The militants detonated a suicide car bomb at the gate, allowing more fighters onto the base. They exchanged gunfire with troops for hours, only withdrawing after Apache helicopters carried out a series of strikes on the base.

AQAP called the attack revenge for government assaults elsewhere in southern Yemen.

The Washington Post reports on an increase in the marriage of underage girls in Yemen as a result of the conflict. Organizations that have worked in Yemen to end this practice say that before the war, instances of underage marriage were decreasing. As more families are now being displaced and facing extreme poverty, many of them marry off one of their daughters, sometimes as young as eight, in order to support the rest of the family.

Friday, July 8 US Central Command reports that four al-Qaeda operatives have been killed in two strikes in Shabwa province on July 1 and July 4. The report states that “The U.S. will not relent in its mission to degrade, disrupt and destroy al-Qaida and its remnants,” claiming that, “Strikes conducted by the U.S. in Yemen continue to diminish AQAP’s presence in the region.”

The release comes a week after the Obama administration reported the number of civilians killed in American strikes in non-combat zones in the past seven years. The tally was reported at 116, but independent organizations estimate that the civilian death toll is much higher.

Yemen’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdul Malik al-Mekhlafi told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Saudi-led coalition’s Operation Decisive Storm was “launched for the sake of Yemen and the Arab and Islamic World,” and denied any intention to back off “until legitimacy is achieved in Yemen.”

He added that UN Special Envoy to Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed “betrayed the Yemeni government’s trust when he submitted the roadmap project without discussing it with the government delegation.”

Al-Mekhlafi said that Ould Sheikh Ahmed will meet with President Hadi and government members following Eid al-Fitr to discuss the roadmap.

Saturday, July 9 Since the war began in March 2015, most of Yemen’s 1,200 foreign doctors have been forced to flee. The lack of practitioners has left critically-injured patients, especially those in need of specialized medical attention, with nowhere to turn.

Doctors working in Yemen, even those affiliated with Doctors Without Borders and other international organizations, face the ongoing danger of airstrikes. Many hospitals have been bombed, and doctors have been killed while attempting to provide medical assistance to those wounded in airstrikes.

In another part to The Washington Post’s recent series on Yemen’s conflict, Sudarsan Raghavan reports on the use of American-made cluster bombs by the Saudi coalition. The use of these bombs not only has tragic consequences for innocent civilians, including children, but has further damaged the reputation of the United States in the eyes of many Yemenis, who struggle to understand why a country with “principles of democracy and human rights” is participating in the indiscriminate bombing of their country.

Sunday, July 10 President Hadi arrived in Marib for his first visit since Houthi forces were expelled from the area a year ago. Hadi, along with Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar and other officials, is said to be monitoring the military and security situation there. In today's speech, Hadi said that he will not allow the United Nations to implement decisions that would form a coalition government, adding that he will not return to Kuwait if the UN issued such a decision. Hadi also said he would not allow the Houthis “to establish a Persian nation in Yemen,” referring to the rebels' limited ties with Iran.

These threatening comments by Hadi could undermine the peace talks, which by all accounts have been making slow but steady progress to end Yemen’s 15-month-long war.

During Hadi’s visit, a suspected US drone strike wounded four alleged members of al-Qaeda in Marib province. Neither Hadi’s government nor the US have commented on the strike.

The US has released from Guantanamo Bay Fayiz Ahmad Yahia Suleiman, a Yemeni held at the prison for 14 and a half years without charge. Although Mr. Suleiman was cleared for transfer six years ago after being falsely accused of connections with al-Qaeda, he is only now being resettled in Italy.

“Like many low-level Yemenis on the list, [Suleiman] remained stranded because the administration deemed his home country too chaotic to accept repatriated detainees.”

Communities in Hajjah count the cost of indiscriminate airstrikes

Abdullah Hadi, 39, returned to the water bottling facility outside his town around 3:00 a.m. to make the final checklist for the laborers working overnight, before ending his shift. Half an hour later, the chief coordinator and a dozen of his workers were killed by an airstrike. In the northwestern areas of Yemen, near the border with Saudi Arabia, scores of civilians have been killed while hiding in their homes, working at farms and factories, or while visiting popular markets, which are vital sources of income, food, and other necessities for most of the populace in the Tihamah coastal region and elsewhere in Yemen. Thousands of people in the northwest have also had to abandon their home towns, seeking safety elsewhere.

Haradh and Abs districts of Hajjah Governorate in particular have been continuously pounded since the first Saudi-orchestrated airstrikes on March 26. The coalition’s air campaign was originally billed as “quick and sharp,” aiming to roll back forces loyal to the Houthi movement and former president ‘Ali ‘Abdullah Saleh, and restore the exiled government in Riyadh to power.

To those ends, warplanes from Saudi Arabia and its allies started to bomb pro-Houthi military bases and weapon depots. Moreover, the Saudi-led coalition imposed a naval and land blockade with the aim of preventing arms shipment from reaching the Houthis.

But the Saudi-led coalition, which receives logistic support and materiel from the US and UK, has also targeted Yemen’s civilian infrastructure, taking a heavy toll on noncombatants, while blocking all commercial imports to Yemen and stalling much-needed humanitarian and medical shipments. According to the United Nations, at least 80% of the population needs some form of humanitarian assistance. Widespread power outages and fuel shortages have forced dozens of hospitals to shut down, while others have had to reduce their operation to the emergency units.

Despite the warnings of impending famine and the dire humanitarian situation across Yemen, the coalition has continued for six months now to bomb residential areas and ravage the country’s infrastructure. Targets of the airstrikes have included government buildings, health facilities, educational institutions, stadiums, seaports, heritage sites, IDP/refugee camps, factories, gas stations, and water storage and processing facilities.

During the past six days alone, at least 90 people have been killed in the capital, Sanʻa, as warplanes target densely-populated areas, including the UNESCO-listed Old City of Sanʻa, where an entire family of 10 members was buried under the rubble of their house this week. More than 70 people were reportedly killed on Sunday as coalition warplanes bombed a local market in Munnabih village of Saʻdah governorate, according to local health officials.

According to the international NGO Oxfam, at least 25,000 airstrikes have hit  Yemen since late March. The organization, one of the aid agencies in the country that has been affected by the aerial attacks, has also said that more than two thirds of the population lack access to clean water, which increases the risk of life-threatening diseases such as malaria, cholera, and diarrhea.

In rural areas of the Tihamah coastal plain, where tropical diseases are seasonally rampant, 41% of the local clean water supply systems—which Oxfam was supporting—have shut down.

In Abs district of Hajjah Governorate, some 30 km away from the town of Haradh—where Abdullah Hadi and most of the local water plant’s workers lived, the water tanks, the vocational training institute, the cultural center, and the central prison were among the public facilities hit by airstrikes, according to local residents .

“The Saudi warplanes appear to strike anything in here and in the neighboring areas as well,” Hafiz Makin, a 36-year-old resident, told the YPP. “A number of houses have even been targeted in particular.”

When the Saudi-led aerial campaign was launched in March, Hafiz was hopeful that the Houthis and their allies would soon be forced to withdraw from the areas they have occupied. “But after more than five months now, we have lost a lot of our loved ones, and virtually lost the life in our hometown,” he said.

Thousands of families in the district of Abs have been forced to leave their homes in search of safety elsewhere. Ali Yahya, a resident of Abs who works as a volunteer for aid agencies in the district, said that the situation in both Abs and Haradh is catastrophic amid daily airstrikes and artillery barrages.

“Most of the basic infrastructure in Abs and Haradh have been bombed; life has become difficult here,” said Yahya, noting that at least 17,000 local residents have been internally displaced. “There are two camps for IDPs in Bani Hassan area, some three kilometers from Abs”

According to several local residents, the water factory shelling was one of the most egregious examples of indiscriminate airstrikes they have seen since March 29, when the Saudi warplanes began to strike in and around Abs district, three days after the start of their aerial campaign in Sanʻa.

Al-Sham Factory, which used to produce large amounts of drinking water bottles, was totally destroyed by a predawn airstrike. “The entire factory was set on fire, engulfed in flames for several hours,” said the owner of the factory, Ali Rozoum.

“It is an overwhelming disaster to almost everyone in the area; thirteen local workers have just been killed all at once.”

#OurYemen: a letter from San‘a

This post was sent to us by a special guest contributor, Fatima Noman. Fatima is 16 years old, and lives in San‘a. She's in her third year of high school, or would be if the schools were open. 

Even after 3 months and a fortnight the sounds of war crafts still terrify me. My mother promised if I heard their utterance they are far away. Regardless, whenever I apprehend the sounds of them my heart beats rapidly and my stomach clenches. As soon as I hear the missile explode I taste death one more time. I remember when I conjectured that the tang of death is sweet. I was raised to be strong, heard headed and invincible this coalition made me question my strength, do I in sooth have any strength?

I always knew politics was dirty business and I know no one cared much for Yemen, including the UN, but seeing all the genocides and terror I can't even imagine how they sleep at night. Are they intact of their humanity?

Putting all my fears and all my worries aside; this country is something else. Every time I scramble out of the house crying of trepidation from those war crafts expecting everyone to feel as I do but I am bewildered by the reality. The fact people are on the streets, in the shops, chatting and humming as if nothing just happened. I used to believe & genuinely presume that I got my strength from my parents' unconditional love, but the coalition proved to me that I got my strength from my country. This country speaks a million languages that include; compassion, mercy, altruism, strength, authenticity & most importantly love. This country may not comprise modern architecture, but we were the first to build gravity defying skyscrapers. This country might not be filled with malls & 5-star hotels but I can assure you our guests never leave feeling anywhere less than home. This country might not be the richest - not because it's poor but rather no one has enhanced its 2300km worth of islands, our natural gas, our petrol, our agriculture or our harvest's- but I solemnly swear every Yemeni has a heart of gold. You will never feel alone here, this land embraces and captivates any one who speaks one of her million languages.

Heritage is one thing you'll find in Yemen more than any other country I'm not being prejudice or bias, our history goes back to 5000 BC. Our aging houses are filled with people, generations live in the same homes through out the decades. That's how exceptional our architecture is.

I believed this coalition would make me hate Yemen because I must admit before 2015 I wasn't much of a patriot. These air raids might have corrupted a small part of my 16 year old mind but I can assure you this country has given back and is continuously giving me back strength I never knew I had in me. Hope I never knew existed. Passion. Courage. Compassion. Pride.

If I do end up dying because of a missile from the Saudi led coalition I am honored to have died in my Mother's embrace. Surrounded by my heritage. My pride. My land.

April 15-22: Airstrikes and fighting continue as KSA "ends" 1st phase of bombing

Early last week, the humanitarian crisis facing the Yemeni people was dominating the headlines of the local press coverage, but as of Tuesday, the “abrupt ending” of the so-called Operation Decisive Storm has complicated news coverage. For the Saudi warplanes continue to strike in several parts of Yemen as the civil conflict on the ground expands onto new fronts. On Monday – one day before Saudi Arabia announced the second phase of its campaign in Yemen, dubbed ‘Operation Restoration of Hope’ – a huge explosion rocked the capital Sanʻa, killing at least 25 people and injuring hundreds of others.

The month-long Saudi aerial offensive has been officially reported to have killed at least 915 civilians, including 143 children and 95 women, and wounded 3943 others. In addition to the weeklong power outage across several main cities in the country, public water towers and resources were greatly damaged by the airstrikes in seven Yemeni provinces.

Complicating the already horrific humanitarian situation, Oxfam’s warehouses in Saʻdah were bombed by Saudi airstrikes. A number of Save the Children’s staffers in Sanʻa were injured and their workplace damaged by Monday’s earthquake-like explosion. Aid agencies, including ICRC, continue to warn of serious humanitarian catastrophe in the country.

Despite all that, the Saudi warplanes continue to strike as civil conflicts continue in several fronts between pro-Houthi/Saleh forces and their various opponents.

In the oil-rich province of Marib, clashes continue in western districts, where the power transmitting lines have been knocked out, and repair teams are still unable to reach affected areas.

In the southern port city of Aden, clashes continue in most of its areas as local fighters (including women recruits) are still trying to fight off the pro-Houthi/Saleh forces.

In the central city of Taʻiz, clashes spread through downtown streets and suburbs since the beginning of the past week. Pro-Houthi/Saleh forces have captured the 35^th Armored Brigade, which declared its support to President Hadi. The unit has ties to General ‘Ali Muhsin al-Ahmar, who is serving as Hadi’s military advisor in Riyadh.

Taking advantage of the Saudi airstrikes, al-Qaeda in the eastern Hadramout Governorate took control of the capital city, al-Mukalla, and captured one of the biggest mechanized military bases, which includes 70 armored tanks.

Failing to restore Hadi to power, Saudi Arabia, however, continues its campaign, while the Houthis continue to engage in clashes with their rivals in the southern cities. The Houthi spokesperson said in a statement that they will engage in political talks only if “the Saudi aggression is completely stopped.”

April 8-14: Airstrike casualties mount, objectives still unmet

As the Saudi air offensive continued last week, the local press coverage continued to spotlight the civilian casualties and the humanitarian crisis facing the people, while underlining the coalition’s failure to achieve the stated objectives of its campaign. It’s been three weeks now, and as of Saturday at least 1,200 aerial attacks have been reported. The Saudi airstrikes have so far killed more than 2,500 Yemenis in at least eight Yemeni provinces over 18 days.

In the capital Sanʻa alone, 385 civilians were reportedly killed during the first two weeks. In Taʻiz province, a neighborhood inhabited by Muhammashin (Marginalized People) was hit by an airstrike, killing at least 12 people, including women and children. In Saʻdah province, more than a dozen people were killed by aerial attacks targeting government buildings, homes and gas stations. One airstrike hit a gas station, incinerating at least 12 people and wounding 49 others.

Since the Saudi-led air offensive was launched, Yemenis have been facing a humanitarian crisis as thousands of civilians have been killed and wounded, and more than 120,000 people have been internally displaced. In the conflict-stricken areas aid efforts have been hindered and medical workers have been isolated in hospitals with no medical supplies. Moreover, Yemen’s economic losses during this three-week period have been estimated at over $1 billion. As the sea and air ports have been blockaded, experts warn the crisis will escalate as Yemen is largely dependent on imports.

Moreover, in the eastern province of Marib the power transmitting lines were knocked out as clashes erupted between Houthis and tribal fighters, leaving the capital and other major cities in the dark for three days now. But two reasons were said to be behind the massive power outage across Yemen: the ongoing fighting in Marib and the more long-term shortage of diesel.

While the Saudi-led campaign aims to halt pro-Houthi/Saleh forces advancing on southern cities, those forces continue to take control of key areas in the south, where al-Qaeda enjoys a strong presence. The pro-Houthi/Saleh forces captured Attaq, the provincial capital of the southeastern province Shabwah, last week. In the same area, al-Qaeda was reported to have slaughtered at least 13 soldiers.

On the other hand, the exiled president, ‘Abdu Rabbu Mansur Hadi, named former Prime Minister Khaled Bahah as his Vice-president – a move that was seen as a gambit to strengthen the embattled executive branch. Three days later and after a week of closed-door negations, the UN Security Council imposed an arms embargo on the Houthis.

Google Volunteers and YPP Launch Humanitarian Appeal

Below is the text of a press release issued today by the YPP. LONG BEACH, CA, April 15, 2015 – Volunteers from Google are working with the Yemen Peace Project to spearhead an effort to meet the acute humanitarian needs of Yemenis caught in the crossfire between local warring factions and regional powers in a conflict that is endangering the lives and livelihoods of millions.

To facilitate the delivery of aid directly to those who need it most, the Yemen Peace Project--with help from Google's Rayman Aryani and Dan Massey, who are donating their time and skills--has launched a donation portal hosted at wwwyemenpeaceproject.org/emergency/. The portal lists the most effective international NGOs with proven track records in Yemen and includes links that enable concerned visitors to donate directly to these organizations’ Yemen programs.

Yemen Peace Project Executive Director William Picard has launched this appeal to support organizations working inside Yemen to help meet the dire needs of those hardest hit by the continuing violence across the country. Yemen’s borders are effectively closed, and food and medical supplies are in short supply, making Yemenis’ situation all the more desperate.

“Yemen has always been a difficult place for aid agencies to work, and the ongoing war is making their jobs much harder, while creating more and more victims who need their help. We’ve launched this appeal to help organizations on the ground bring food, water, and medical assistance to as many people as possible, as quickly as possible,” Picard said.

“Millions of Yemenis are living in the crossfire right now. In just a few weeks of war, hundreds of civilians have been killed, and hundreds of thousands have been displaced. Millions more have had their access to water, food, fuel, electricity, and medical care disrupted or completely cut off,” he continued. “The people of Yemen didn’t ask for this war, and they need the world’s help to survive it. We’re launching this appeal to help bring life-saving relief to those most at risk.”

Google employees Rayman Aryani and Dan Massey collaborated with the Yemen Peace Project to launch the emergency donation portal. Aryani has listened to heartbreaking accounts of misery and violence from his own friends and family in Yemen, who are living in the midst of street battles between local militias and relentless aerial bombardment from a Saudi-led coalition of states.

“The civil war in Yemen has pushed the country beyond the brink to a full-scale human catastrophe, with the lack of food, potable water, medicine, fuel, power, and basic services putting millions upon millions of people at risk,” Aryani said. “As I gut-wrenchingly watch from afar the death and destruction happening in Yemen, the least I can do is set up a platform to empower the public to donate.”

The Yemen Peace Project’s web portal includes links for visitors to donate directly to the Yemen programs of several effective international organizations, including:

• Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF),
• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC),
• World Food Programme (WFP),
• International Organization for Migration (IOM),
• Islamic Relief,
• The United Nations Foundation.

Yemen Peace Project staff will remain in close contact with representatives of these NGOs to provide updates on the humanitarian relief efforts taking place in Yemen. The Yemen Peace Project will also publish alerts when new areas of need arise.

To donate, visit www.yemenpeaceproject.org/emergency/

For more information, visit yemenpeaceproject.org

About the Yemen Peace Project:

Founded in 2010, the Yemen Peace Project works to transform the relationship between the United States and Yemen by promoting understanding between Americans and Yemenis and advocating for a peaceful, constructive foreign policy.

Although humanitarian relief is not one of the YPP's core programs, the organization has a history of mobilizing resources during acute crises. During Yemen's popular uprising of 2011, the YPP was the first foreign organization to send funds--raised from YPP supporters in the US and Europe--to the field hospitals that treated wounded pro-democracy demonstrators. In 2012, the YPP held a Ramadan fundraising campaign to help local activists feed needy families in San'a and other cities.

The Yemen Peace Project is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization incorporated in the State of California.

For press inquiries contact William Picard: picard@yemenpeaceproject.org, +1 (202) 297-1455.

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نداء استغاثه من مشروع سلام اليمن بالتعون مع متطوعين من جوجل

فيما يلي نص بيان صحفي صدر عن منظمة مشروع سلام اليمن:

لونج بيتش، كاليفورنيا، 15 أبريل 2015 - بالتعون مع متطوعين من جوجل يعمل مشروع سلام اليمن لقيادة الجهود لتلبية الاحتياجات الإنسانية الضروريه لليمنيين الواقعين في الصراع الدائر بين الفصائل المتحاربة المحلية والإقليمية والذي يهدد حياة ومعيشة الملايين.

ولتسهيل إيصال المساعدات مباشرة إلى أولئك في أشد الحاجة إليها، استضاف مشروع سلام اليمن بمساعدة من ريمان الأرياني و دان ماسي اللذين تطوعو بوقتهم ومهاراتهم لانشاء صفحة تتضمن روابط لكل المنظمات الدولية غير الحكومية واللتي تمتاز بسجل موثوق وتعتبرالأكثر فعالية في اليمن.

يمكنكم زيارة الصفحة على هذا العنوان wwwyemenpeaceproject.org/emergency

بداء المديرالتنفيذي لـ مشروع سلام اليمن ويليام بيكارد هذا النداء لدعم المنظمات العاملة داخل اليمن ومساعدهم في تلبية الاحتياجات الضرورية إلى الاهالي الأكثر تضررا من استمرار العنف في أنحاء البلاد.وهناك نقص حاد في المواد الغذائية والإمدادات الطبية بسبب أغلاق الحدود اليمنية على نحو تام مما زاد الوضع سوءً للكثير من اليمنيين.

وقال بيكارد "لقد كانت اليمن دائما مكانا صعبا لعمل وكالات المعونة، والحرب المستمرة جعلت عملهم أكثر صعوبه. ومع تزايد الضحايا المحتاجين إلى مساعدتهم تم أطلق هذا النداء لدعم المنظمات العامله على الأرض لجلب المساعدات الغذائيه والطبية لأكبر عدد من الناس وفي أسرع وقت ممكن".

"في الوقت الحالي الملايين من اليمنيين يعيشون بين نيران الاطراف المتحاربه. في غضون أسابيع قليلة من الحرب، مئات المدنيين قتلوا وشرد الآلاف، والملايين اصبح وصولها إلى الماء والغذاء والوقود صعباُ جداً وتعطل الخدمات الطبية والكهرباء بشكل شبه تام " ، "إن هذه الحرب فُرضت على الشعب اليمني اللذي لم يطلبها. وأنهم بحاجة إلى مساعدة العالم على البقاء على قيد الحياة في ظل هذه الظروف الصعبه. وقد بادرنا باطلاق هذا النداء للمساعدة في إغاثة و انقاذ حياة أولئك الأكثر عرضة للخطر".

موظفي جوجل ريمان الأرياني ودان ماسي تعاونا مع منظمة مشروع سلام اليمن لانشاء صفحة التبرع والاغاثة. وقد سمع ريمان عن الاحداث المفجعة والمائسي من أهله وأصدقائه في اليمن، وهم يعيشون بين معارك الشوارع للميليشيات المحلية والقصف الجوي المتواصل من قوات التحالف التي تقودها السعودية.

"ان الحرب الحالية دفعت باليمن إلى حافة كارثة إنسانية خطيره، مع نقص الغذاء ومياه الشرب والدواء والوقود والكهرباء والخدمات الأساسية وضع ملايين من الناس في خطر" وقال الأرياني "وانا اشاهد بألم ما يحدث من بعيد في اليمن من موت ودمار، أقل ما يمكن أن افعل هو انشاء منصة لتمكين الناس على التبرع والاغاثة".

ويشمل موقع مشروع سلام اليمن على شبكة الإنترنت الروابط للتبرع مباشرة إلى برامج اليمن من عدة منظمات دولية، بما في ذلك:

• منظمة أطباء بلا حدود (MSF) • اللجنة الدولية للصليب الأحمر (ICRC) • برنامج الأغذية العالمي (WFP) • المنظمة الدولية للهجرة (IOM) • الإغاثة الإسلامية • مؤسسة الأمم المتحدة

سيبقى مشرفي مشروع سلام اليمن على اتصال دائم مع ممثلي هذه المنظمات واطلاعهم على اخر المستجدات المتعلقه بجهود الإغاثة الإنسانية في اليمن.

وسيستمر مشروع سلام اليمن بنشر التنبيهات عند حدوث طارئ اخر في انحاء البلاد.

للتبرع، قم بزيارة www.yemenpeaceproject.org/emergency

لمزيد من المعلومات، يرجى زيارة www.yemenpeaceproject.org

نبذة عن مشروع سلام اليمن:

تأسست في عام 2010، ويهدف مشروع سلام اليمن إلى دعم العلاقة بين الولايات المتحدة واليمن من خلال تعزيز التفاهم بين الأميركيين واليمنيين والدعوة الى سياسة خارجية سلمية وبناءة.

على الرغم من ان الإغاثة الإنسانية ليست واحدة من البرامج الأساسية للمنظمة الا ان لديها تاريخ في توظيف الموارد المتاحه خلال الأزمات الطارئة. في ايام الثوره الشعبية عام 2011، كان مشروع سلام اليمن المنظمة الأجنبية الأولى اللتي إرسلت تبرعات من الولايات المتحدة وأوروبا إلى المستشفيات الميدانية التي عالجت الجرحى من المتظاهرين المؤيدين للديمقراطية. في عام 2012، بادر مشروع سلام اليمن حملة لجمع التبرعات في رمضان لمساعدة النشطاء المحليين لإطعام الأسر المحتاجة في صنعاء ومدن اخرى.

مشروع سلام اليمن هو منظمة غير ربحية مسجلة في ولاية كاليفورنيا.

Statement of Yemeni civil society organizations on the current crisis

The statement below was issued today by a group of Yemeni civil society organizations. One of the signatory organizations, the Peace for Yemen Group, shared the statement with the YPP for publication. The YPP is not a signatory to this statement. In the name of God Most Gracious, Most Merciful A cry for help for the humanitarian crisis in Yemen

Dear Mr. Ban Ki Moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations: Dear Heads of Members states of the United Nations: Dear representatives of international humanitarian, development and human rights agencies:

We, the leaders, members and representatives of humanitarian, human rights, development, women, youth and social empowerment organizations in Yemen, call on the United Nations and its member countries to institute an immediate ceasefire among warring factions in Yemen, to create safe passage for commercial goods and humanitarian and economic assistance into the country, and to facilitate resumption of negotiations, with no preconditions, among Yemen’s political parties toward a reasonable and workable compromise.

We are experiencing firsthand the devastation of our country from the armed conflicts and bombings, which are killing innocent people and leaving many more without medical treatment, shelter, water and food. Not only military targets are being hit: civilian businesses, homes and food factories have been demolished; utilities, social, health and government services have stopped functioning; and civilian hunger, injuries and deaths are climbing. This unjust war, which grew from hostilities among political factions and has opened our nation to external and foreign interference, will come to no good end. By ruining basic infrastructure and cutting off access to commerce, food, water and health care, Yemen will be left bankrupt and desperate, ultimately tearing our country apart and giving power to armed groups and extremists.

Yemen is now under an air, land and sea embargo, Yemenis are banned from traveling, airports are closed, even for those who must travel for medical reasons, international financial agencies have suspended their businesses in Yemen, and fund transfers into the country have been stopped. Oil derivative supplies have dwindled and power generation is being cut all over the country. Lifesaving food and medical supplies cannot reach the thousands who are suffering. The Yemeni people suffer daily from this ugly war and the humanitarian crisis that has followed in its wake, but the other nations will suffer, as well, since the only winners are the armed factions that will use Yemen as a base operations to wreak havoc both in our country and abroad.

Therefore, we in the civil society organizations, appeal to Mr. Ban Ki Moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, the members of the United Nations and international humanitarian agencies to quickly and immediately intervene, to stop this war and force all powers that are behind these attacks to resume dialogue with no prior conditions, to form a transitional presidency or presidential council, building on the constructive outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference. Please hear the voices of all Yemenis—every mother and child—who appeal for your leadership and immediate intervention to save Yemen from this humanitarian crisis.

Signatory organizations:

1. Network Of Independent Women
2. Alliance Of Volunteers For Women
3. Yemen First Organization
4. Women Will Bring Us Together Initiative
5. Awam Foundation For Cultural Development
6. Center For Cultural Media
7. Network Of Arab Women Leaders
8. Bran Cultural and Humanitarian Foundation
9. Yemeni Foundation for Informatics
10. Association of Women In The Media for the Support of Women's Issues
11. Faces Media And Development Foundation
12. Peace for Yemen Group
13. Scheherazade Cultural Foundation
14. Sanaa University Academics Club
15. Network of Media Figures for the Support of Women's Issues
16. Activists For The Homeland Initiative
17. Organization of Diaspora Yemenis
18. Association of Yemenis in Russia for Change
19. National Committee for Women
20. Voice for Development Foundation
21. Activists for Development and Human Rights
22. Together Foundation (Ibb)
23. The Sam Foundation for Childhood and Development
24. Council of Yemeni Businesswomen
25. Foundation for Cultural and Social Development of the Child
26. Foundation for Community Cooperation
27. Yemeni Human Rights Monitor
28. Organization for Women’s Development
29. Jisarah Foundation for Development and Human Rights
30. Yemeni Coalition For Peace
31. Ghasn al-Qanna Magazine
32. The Peacemakers
33. The Supreme Council For Motherhood and Childhood

I translated the names of the signatory organizations from Arabic, and there were several I was not familiar with. If you'd like to reference the original list, you can find it below: [toggle title="Signatory organizations (Arabic)"]

المنظمات الانسانية والحقوقية النسائية والشبابية والقوى المجتمعية في اليمن 1. شبكة النساء المستقلات (فوز ) 2. تحالف متطوعون من اجل النساء 3. منظمة اليمن اولا 4. مبادرة إرادة نساء تجمعنا 5. مؤسسة أوام التنموية الثقافية 6. مركز الاعلام الثقافي 7. شبكة الرائدات العربيات 8. مؤسسة بران الثقافية الانسانية 9. المؤسسة اليمنية للمعلوماتية 10. تكتل اعلاميات لدعم قضايا النساء 11. مؤسسة وجوه للإعلام والتنمية 12. مجموعة السلام لليمن 13. مؤسسة شهرزاد الثقافية 14. منتدى اكاديميات جامعة صنعاء 15. شبكة اعلاميون لدعم قضايا النساء 16. مبادرة نشطاء من اجل الوطن 17. منظمة يمانيو المهجر 18. تجمع اليمنيين في روسيا للتغيير 19. اللجنة الوطنية للمرأة 20. مؤسسة صوت للتنمية 21. نشطاء للتنمية وحقوق الانسان 22. منظمة معا ( آب) 23. مؤسسة سام للطفولة والتنمية 24. مجلس سيدات الاعمال اليمنيات 25. مؤسسة غرس الثقافية الاجتماعية للتنمية الطفل 26. مؤسسة المشاركة من أجل المجتمع – اليمن 27. المرصد اليمني لحقوق الانسان 28. منظمة تنمية المرأة (ود ) 29. مؤسسة جسارة للتنمية وحقوق الانسان 30. التحالف اليمني للسلام 31. مجلة غصن القنا 32. صانعات السلام 33. المجلس الاعلى للأمومة والطفولة

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April 1-7: Civilians suffer as airstrikes and fighting continue

Over the last week, local press coverage had underlined the dramatic aftermath of 13 days of continuous aerial attacks by a Saudi-led coalition, which, in addition to hundreds of casualties, have caused a fuel shortage, long power outages, the suspension of educational institutions, and mass evacuations of foreigners. The aerial attacks were reported to have left 857 civilians dead in different parts of Yemen, including 160 children under the age of 15. Also, at least 100,000 people have been internally displaced.

On the outskirts of the capital, Sanʻa, at least 11 people from a single family were killed by an airstrike. In the same area, six people were killed and eight others were wounded. Two more people were killed and three others were wounded in Sanhan village, not far from the capital. In the western port city of al-Hudaydah, an airstrike hit a dairy factory killing more than 33 workers. Also in al-Hudaydah, five trucks loaded with wheat were shelled while on their way to Taʻiz province. In the southern province of Lahj, a cement factory was bombed, where dozens were killed and wounded. In Saʻdah province, at least nine people from a single family, including four children, were killed by an airstrike.

As the Saudi aerial attacks were launched on March 26, a fuel crisis began, leaving Sanʻa residents with only a few hours of daily electricity supply from diesel-run stations, while schools and universities in the capital have been put on hold for another week.

Moreover, as the Saudi-led campaign—which is ostensibly intended to halt the  advance of pro-Houthi and pro-Saleh forces—entered its second week, the Houthis entered the southern port city of Aden with tanks and armored vehicles. The city saw fierce clashes over the past two weeks, in which more than 500 people have died. The situation in Aden continues to deteriorate, while Arab and western countries continue to evacuate their nationals from the city’s seaport.

Meanwhile, the Islah Party announced its support for the Saud-led Operation Decisive Storm. Since then, Ansar Allah’s forces have stormed the party’s headquarters as well as the homes of leaders and members, abducting more than 300 in at least six Yemeni provinces.

News from the southern fronts

As Saudi-led airstrikes continue in several parts of Yemen, the southern city of Aden is still being contested by local resistance fighters and pro-Houthi/pro-Saleh forces. Earlier this week, Houthi/Saleh units fought their way through al-Mansurah and other northern districts of Aden, and continued fighting with local forces in Khor Maksar. On Friday, the invading units shelled neighborhoods in Sirah District, also known as Crater, Aden's historic commercial core. Reporting by Al Jazeera from Friday shows local resistance fighters receiving crates of weapons and other supplies, which were air-dropped by Saudi planes. For the moment, local forces seem to have stopped the Houthi/Saleh advance outside of Sirah. Saudi-led aircraft bombed several parts of Aden this week, aiming to disrupt the invading forces' supply lines and take out armored vehicles belonging to the Houthi/Saleh forces. However, Houthi/Saleh forces are still in control of all land routes into the city, leaving the civilian population cut off from food and fuel.

According to Adeni officials, almost 200 people have been killed in this week's fighting in the city, and over 1,000 injured. Three quarters of these reported casualties are thought to be civilians.

In an emergency session of the UN Security Council today, Russia put forth a proposal for a humanitarian ceasefire. The Red Cross has called for an immediate halt to fighting to allow its workers and other NGOs to bring in badly-needed medical personnel and supplies.

"Otherwise, put starkly, many more people will die. For the wounded, their chances of survival depend on action within hours, not days," Robert Mardini, the ICRC's head of operations in the Near and Middle East, said Saturday.

Two Red Crescent volunteers working to rescue wounded civilians in Aden were shot dead on Friday in Sirah.

Also on Friday, AQAP fighters seized government buildings and banks in al-Mukalla, the capital of Hadhramawt Governorate. In response, forces from the Hadhramawt Tribal Confederacy have taken control of military bases in other parts of Hadhramawt, and are said to be advancing on al-Mukalla to force AQAP out.

Important readings on the current conflict

Coverage of the war in Yemen has, as always, been spotty. Here are some of the more important pieces on the current situation: Yemen specialist Adam Baron spoke to NPR's Morning Edition today about why foreign observers shouldn't view Yemen's conflict as primarily sectarian, and the many dangers of escalating and regionalizing the conflict.

Adam Baron is also featured on this excellent ECFR panel discussion of the Yemeni conflict, along with Nawal al-Maghafi and Mina al-Oraibi. Nawal's account of sneaking into Sa‘dah in 2010 to report on the Houthi movement is particularly gripping.

On Monday, Morning Edition featured a segment on Saudi-led airstrikes, with guests Hisham al-Omeisy and Hussain al-Bukhaiti.

Abubakr al-Shamahi of Al-Araby has a rather useful video explaining the Yemeni conflict in four minutes.

Medicins Sans Frontieres reports that it's dealing with hundreds of victims of fighting in Aden, Lahj, and al-Dhali‘, as well as casualties from airstrikes in northern Yemen. MSF says it cannot bring in desperately-needed supplies and personnel because the Saudi-led coalition is blocking humanitarian shipments from Yemen's air and seaports.

ICRC has also complained about the blockade on relief supplies.

UNICEF reports that at least 62 children have been killed in recent fighting. More than two dozen civilians were killed when coalition forces bombed an IDP camp in Sa‘dah on Monday. On Tuesday, coalition strikes destroyed a dairy factory in al-Hudaydah, killing at least 37 civilians. Fighting continued Tuesday in the northern parts of the city of Aden.

March 24-31: Decisive Storm continues, as does Houthi expansion

The Saudi-led aerial bombing campaign, labeled Operation Decisive Storm, has divided the local media since it was launched last week. Besides, fresh news websites have emerged while some of those which had previously suspended operations have resurfaced. The campaign, ostensibly intended to halting the Houthi movement’s expansion across the country, started two days after UN envoy Jamal Benomar cancelled the political talks between the Houthis and their opponents, which had only just resumed in the capital, Sanʻa.

While such a campaign seems to have ended any possibility of political negations, the Saudi King called on the Houthis to participate in talks proposed to be held in Riyadh – a proposal that was rejected by the Houthis along with four other political parties earlier last month.

President Hadi’s newly appointed Foreign Minister, Riyadh Yasin (who, like Hadi, is currently in Saudi Arabia), said that the political process is dependent on the Saudi-led campaign.

In the days since the campaign was launched, Ansar Allah has not yet responded militarily toward Saudi Arabia as local observers expected. However, the group's leader gave a speech threatening Saudi Arabia with strong response if it continues the airstrikes.

Meanwhile, pro-Houthi and pro-Saleh forces advanced on southern areas in Aden, Abyan and Shabwah. Fierce clashes ensued and hundreds were reportedly killed and wounded.

While the airstrikes continue to hit pro-Houthi/Saleh military bases in different parts of Yemen, civilians have been killed and wounded. On the first day of this campaign, when the Sanʻa airport and al-Dailami airbase were bombed, 27 people were reportedly killed including 15 children. All schools in Sanʻa have been closed, while students of Sanʻa University were called in to continue.

Pakistan’s prime minister was quick to join the Saudi-led coalition and pledged to send ground troops, but later backpedaled under pressure from the public and government officials. A high-level Pakistani delegation is currently in Riyadh, and the government has promised not to commit forces to Decisive Storm before the issue is discussed at an all-party conference. Pakistan and other countries, including China, have acted to evacuate their citizens from Yemen, while the Indian premier asked Saudi Arabia to help his country evacuate Indian nationals. Sudan is currently reviewing how to evacuate its nationals, and its president confirmed he may ground troops to Yemen.

Hello Pakistan, Hello India, Hello KSA

If you're visiting our site from a country involved in airstrikes in Yemen, we want to hear from you! Since the beginning of the Saudi-led air campaign in Yemen this week, our website has seen a huge increase in visitors from Pakistan, India, and Saudi Arabia. By "huge," I mean that pageviews from Pakistan, which in an average week make up about 3% of our total traffic, now account for 20% of all pageviews. Visitors from India are now about 20% of the total as well, up from an average of 9%. Visitors to our website from Saudi Arabia now account for about 9% of our total traffic, a noticeable increase from their normal 3%. In short, our site's traffic patterns have changed in a big way since a coalition of GCC, Arab League, and other states have decided to intervene in Yemen's civil war*.

The thing about international intervention is that it is rarely a one-way operation. America's wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, for example, had massive secondary effects on domestic politics here in the US. Similarly, as Saudi Arabia and its allies drop thousands of tons of ordnance on Yemen's cities, the conflict is also heavily impacting some of the countries involved. My suspicion is that the conflict will be felt most strongly by the public in Pakistan, where the military receives much more public support and loyalty than does the federal government.

If you're visiting our site from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, or any other country involved in Operation Decisive Storm, we'd love to hear your opinion about this intervention, and your thoughts on how the war in Yemen matters to affairs in your own country. You can email us your comments at info@yemenpeaceproject.org, or share them on our Facebook page. Also, while you're here, please consider making a donation to the YPP so we can continue to provide news and analysis about Yemen to readers and listeners all over the world. Thanks!

*Yes, I know India isn't part of the coalition. But in general, issues that are big in Pakistan become important in India as well, and there's also a sizable Yemeni population there. If you can help explain India's increasing interest, please do!

GCC airstrikes continue across Yemen

Just after nightfall in San‘a, sources in the city are reporting the most intense airstrikes since the Saudi-led joint bombing operation began on Wednesday. The air campaign, which Saudi Arabia has dubbed Operation Decisive Storm (‘asifat al-Hazm), includes forces from all Gulf Cooperation Council states with the exception of Oman, which seems to be positioning itself as a potential mediator. Egypt, Jordan, and Morocco are also contributing forces, while the US and other western states have promised logistical and intelligence support.  According to Yemeni government sources (that is, pro-Houthi officials in the acting government in San‘a), at least 39 Yemeni civilians were killed in the first two nights of air raids. Thursday night's bombings expanded beyond the capital, with coalition warplanes targeting pro-Houthi and pro-Saleh forces in Sa‘dah, Ta‘iz, Aden, and Lahj. Strikes on Friday reportedly have also targeted positions in al-Hudaydah on the Red Sea coast.

Meanwhile, Houthi/Saleh forces have continued their ground campaign for control over southern Yemen, pushing into Abyan and Shabwah Governorates for the first time on Friday. Pro-Saleh forces have reportedly cut off Aden--which the GCC swears is still under the control of the "legitimate government," even though President Hadi fled the city two days ago--from the north, west, and east. GCC-coalition naval and ground forces are waiting off the coast of Aden, but have not entered Yemen yet.

To get a sense of the thinking within the US administration about this latest phase of the conflict, read the transcript of Thursday's State Department press briefing. It seems that the Obama administration may have been caught off-guard by the GCC air campaign, and there does not seem to be total agreement within the US government about the usefulness of GCC actions.

The escalating conflict is already exacerbating Yemen's very serious humanitarian crisis. With roads cut by rival military forces, and power and fuel unavailable, life is only getting harder for the millions of Yemenis facing food insecurity and water shortages.

For propaganda-heavy coverage of the campaign from the Saudi perspective, check out Al Arabiya's English and Arabic websites. Al Jazeera's coverage is more balanced, giving airtime to Yemenis who oppose the airstrikes. Democracy Now interviewed Yemeni analyst and activist Farea al-Muslimi from San'a today, and International Crisis Group released a new briefing paper, which argues that the best option for descalation and peaceful resolution of the crisis would be a monitored ceasefire under the auspices of the UN Security Council, followed by UN-led talks.