Senior UN Official: 10,000 Civilians Killed in Yemen War

The UN humanitarian aid coordinator in Yemen stated on Monday, January 16, that during the nearly two-year war in Yemen, 10,000 civilians have been killed and about 40,000 others injured. According to the Associated Press, Jamie McGoldrick, the head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Yemen, told reporters that the casualty figures are based on statistics from medical and healthcare centers, and the actual number may be higher. This UN official, referring to the high human toll in the Yemen war, stated that this war must be stopped without delay. This is the first time that UN officials have announced such a high casualty figure in the Yemen conflict, having previously reported the civilian death toll at around 4,200. In the Yemen war, the poorest Arab country, Shia Houthis and their allies are fighting against a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia, which supports the Yemeni government. This coalition began its airstrikes in March 2015 with the aim of restoring power to the Yemeni government recognized by the international community. That year, after the Houthis captured the city of Sana'a, the capital, and much of the country, the president and Yemeni government officials fled to Saudi Arabia. The statements from the senior UN official coincide with the visit of Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, the UN special envoy for Yemen, to Aden port, which is now the temporary capital of the Yemeni government led by President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. According to Yemeni government officials, the UN special envoy is set to propose a new peace plan to Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, who had previously rejected the earlier peace plan. The previous peace plan, which sidelined Mr. Hadi and recognized the Houthi rebels, was supported by the United States. One major reason for the halt in peace negotiations is the disagreement over the timeline. Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi emphasizes the implementation of a UN Security Council resolution, which states that the Houthi rebels must withdraw from all cities and hand over their weapons. In contrast, the Houthis insist on a political agreement that would allow them to share in the political power of the country in exchange for their withdrawal from controlled areas and the surrender of their weapons.