Amnesty International: Tens of Thousands Fleeing from Hodeidah in Yemen

As reports from Yemen indicate an escalation of clashes in areas controlled by Houthi rebels in Hodeidah, Amnesty International states that tens of thousands are attempting to flee the center of the conflict. The organization has warned about the deteriorating situation. Reuters reports that armed forces supported by the Saudi-led coalition are advancing towards the port of Hodeidah, which is considered one of the key areas under Houthi control in western Yemen. Previously, the Saudi news agency reported that forces supported by the country are 'advancing along the western coast of Hodeidah province.' In early April, during a significant event in the Yemeni civil war, Saleh al-Sammad, the political leader of Ansar Allah and the second-in-command of the rebels after Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, was killed in a Saudi coalition airstrike in Hodeidah. Amnesty International has warned about the worsening situation in Hodeidah, stating, 'Based on alarming reports from displaced civilians, the humanitarian consequences of the recent attacks on the western coast of Yemen are clearly foreseeable.' A senior official responding to the crisis conditions from Amnesty International stated that as battles intensify, the situation in the densely populated port of Hodeidah is likely to worsen significantly. The port of Hodeidah is one of the main import areas for Yemen and plays a key role in delivering humanitarian aid to civilians in the country. On the other hand, the coalition led by Riyadh has accused the Houthi rebels of receiving weapons from Iran through this port. Tehran has denied transferring weapons to the Houthi rebels. Last year, following a missile attack by Houthi militants on Saudi Arabia, the Saudi coalition besieged Yemen's ports and airports. The siege of areas, especially the port of Hodeidah, faced criticism from Western countries. Eventually, Saudi Arabia allowed humanitarian aid to reach this port for a period. The United Nations recently stated that in recent months, at least 100,000 civilians have been displaced or relocated in the western coastal areas of Yemen, particularly in Hodeidah.