Saudi Vows to Cover U.N. Aid Call for Yemen, Keeps up Air Raids

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

Saudi Arabia pledged Saturday to cover the entire $274 million in humanitarian aid sought by the UN for conflict-torn Yemen, which has also been the target of Saudi-led air strikes against Shiite rebels.

The United Nations says hundreds of people have died and thousands of families fled their homes in the war, which has also killed six Saudi security personnel in border skirmishes.

At least 27 more people died in the southwestern city of Taez during overnight clashes between loyalist forces and the Iran-backed Shiite Huthi rebels as well as Saudi-led coalition air raids, medical sources said.

Saudi King Salman ordered the humanitarian pledge following a United Nations appeal on Friday for $274 million (253 million euros) in emergency assistance for the millions affected by Yemen's war.

The kingdom "stands with its Yemeni brothers" and hopes for "the restoration of security and stability," the state Saudi Press Agency said, quoting an official statement.

UN Humanitarian Coordinator Johannes Van Der Klaauw said in the appeal: "Ordinary families are struggling to access healthcare, water, food and fuel -- basic requirements for their survival."

Aid has only trickled into the country, largely because of restrictions imposed by the coalition on the country's air space and sea ports.

The Huthi rebels swept into the capital Sanaa last September from their highland stronghold and then advanced south on the port city of Aden, forcing President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi to flee to Riyadh.

 

- Explosions, gunfire - 

The coalition began its campaign after Saudi Arabia feared the Huthis, allied with army units loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, would shift Yemen into the orbit of Shiite Iran, Sunni Saudi Arabia's regional rival.

Residents said explosions and gunfire shook Taez overnight during fighting between Hadi loyalists and the rebels.

Nineteen rebels, four soldiers of a mechanized army unit loyal to the president and four other pro-Hadi fighters were killed, a medical source told Agence France Presse.

Rival fighters also clashed Friday night in districts of Aden, the main southern city, residents and security sources said.

Pro-Hadi forces backed by air strikes held off rebels battling for the past week for control of Aden's refinery, 15 kilometers (nine miles) to the west of the city.

The Yemen conflict has sent tensions soaring between Saudi Arabia and Iran -- the foremost Sunni and Shiite Muslim powers in the Middle East, respectively.

Tehran is a key ally of the Huthis but denies arming them.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday that his country's military should not be seen as a threat in the Middle East.

The presence of Iranian navy ships "in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Aden is intended to ensure the security of neighboring countries and maritime traffic," he said in an Army Day ceremony.

On Friday, Iran submitted a four-point Yemen peace plan to UN chief Ban Ki-moon.

It calls for a ceasefire and immediate end to all foreign military attacks, the urgent delivery of humanitarian and medical aid, a resumption of political talks and the formation of a national unity government.

"It is imperative for the international community to get more effectively involved in ending the senseless aerial attacks and establishing a ceasefire," Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote in a letter to Ban.

 

- No early end - 

In Riyadh, coalition spokesman Brigadier General Ahmed al-Assiri said late Friday that "from this afternoon we have started operations in Taez".

There had been 100 sorties in Yemen on Thursday, he said, indicating no early end to the operation.

"This works needs patience, persistence and precision. We are not in a hurry... We have the time and we have the capabilities."

Human Rights Watch, meanwhile, said opposing forces in the southern city of Lahej, near Aden, had endangered a hospital.

"Fighters on both sides in Lahej have unlawfully put a hospital in the middle of a battle," said Joe Stork, the watchdog's deputy Middle East and North Africa director.

Yemen is also a front line in the U.S. war on al-Qaida, which has exploited the growing turmoil to expand its control of areas in the southeast of the deeply tribal Arabian Peninsula country.

On Friday, al-Qaida overran a key army camp in the Hadramawt provincial capital Mukalla, seizing heavy weapons and consolidating its grip on the city, an official and residents said.

The World Health Organization, in its latest toll, said 767 people have died in Yemen's war since March 19 and more than 2,900 were wounded. The majority have been civilians.

Comments 18
Default-user-icon puppet (Guest) 18 April 2015, 08:40

I respect Mr. Nasrallah, Mr. Talal Arslan, Mr. Mowaten, and Mr. Mystic equally.

Default-user-icon elias bu saab (Guest) 18 April 2015, 08:47

How much is Iran providing to the "oppressed" and "deprived" Yemenis...... ZERO!

Missing ArabDemocrat.com 18 April 2015, 11:36

The one that are massacring the Yemeni civilians are the Houthis who are shelling civilian targets in Aden and who overthrew the legitimate government and engaged in a campaign of conquest.

Thumb _mowaten_ 18 April 2015, 19:15

Yes sure, if you say so arabdemocrat! Keep it up and whatever you do, do not let reality come in the way of your love of the Saudi democracy.

Missing helicopter 19 April 2015, 02:05

HA posters on this forum kept on saying for years that KSA is not capable of waging a war against anyone or anywhere (as opposed to the axis of evil: Iran, Assad, HA). Now they are complaining.

Thumb _mowaten_ 20 April 2015, 10:25

First, I don't recall anyone here who "kept saying that for years".

And second, there's nothing to be proud of here, using shiny US-made bombers to hit the poorest country in the region who doesnt even have proper air defenses isn't an exploit.

KSA said they will launch a ground offensive "when the time is right", let's see how that goes when and if they do.

Missing ya_kord 18 April 2015, 13:30

yes the Houthis and Assad regime massacre civilians and Saudi arabia provides humanitarian aid. well said Lebanon_07

Missing ya_kord 18 April 2015, 13:31

I wonder how many signed agreements, did Hizbollah and Assad break?

Thumb chrisrushlau 18 April 2015, 15:48

France declares its support for monarchy by referring, in a report from Agence France Presse, to the autocrat ruling the desert territory as if he, King Salman, embodies the nation, so that, when he gives money or drops bombs, it is Saudi Arabia doing so.
France declares Shia majority of Lebanon to not exist. France says democracy in Lebanon safe as long as everybody agrees that the Shia majority in Lebanon, kept from power by Article 24 of the Lebanese Constitution, does not exist. Israel agrees and suggests same rule be applied to Palestinians.

Thumb Mystic 18 April 2015, 21:28

This world should indeed have more Americans, like chrisrushlau.

Thumb chrisrushlau 18 April 2015, 16:49

Once Saudi Arabia's proxy in Yemen, former president and chief-looter Saleh, gets back in power, everything will be alright. No, wait, he's now the head of the Houthi Shia rebels. Well, you know what I mean.

Missing helicopter 19 April 2015, 02:09

As for your camp f.t, the opposite is true
the US sending 'military advisors' to ukraine: haram
the saudis bombing yemeni refugee camps and violating yemeni sovereignty: haram

egyptians bombing isis in libya: IDK, for me it is halal
iranians sending, money, troops and 'military advisors' to iraq and syria: halal
iran arming yemeni houthis in yemen before saudi raiding: halal

this is M8 'logic'. being an M8er is selling out your brains and souls to the Iranian Mullahs.

Missing canadianadam 18 April 2015, 17:04

I think it shows who is oppressing the civilian population and who is supporting it.

Cave dwellers in Dahyeh, when did you ever support any civilian population.

Thumb EagleDawn 18 April 2015, 19:07

flamethrower, did you ever write to Al Manar as you intended?

Thumb EagleDawn 18 April 2015, 21:19

i see..... here goes

"...flamethrower--

to mystic, mowaten or anyone who knows people inside al manar, please contact me on anomander.rake@outlook.com
keep your nicknames while writing. i'll find you out later.
thanks people."

Thumb liberty 19 April 2015, 05:29

I don't know how this creature can look himself in the mirror with such blatant lies. He has been caught lying time and time again. Asking if anybody knows people inside al manar clearly shows no intent to contact them, lol. filth!

Default-user-icon mahdi firuz berhouz (Guest) 18 April 2015, 18:46

hahahaha! even on weekends you make us laugh. I was downtown when my boss called me and asked me to read your fantastic comment. He was laughing so much on the phone:) Somesing Anazar flamesrower!

Thumb EagleDawn 18 April 2015, 19:06

nizlit dam3te man.. ossa mou2assira!