U.N. warns Yemenis may move to Saudi
Thousands driven from their homes by fighting
The fighting that has driven tens of thousands of people from their homes in northern Yemen could send them across the border into Saudi Arabia, the top United Nations aid official said on Wednesday.
U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator John Holmes, issuing a $23.5 million appeal for the impoverished Gulf state, said warfare had driven 55,000 people from their homes since the start of July.
Another 95,000 Yemenis in the north were already uprooted because of previous rounds of fighting between the government and rebel groups, who have not yet agreed to a ceasefire or a humanitarian corridor to let aid through.
Holmes warned that without prompt help, the desperate people scattered across the desert region may try to leave the country.
"The area is right next to the Saudi border. So there is a possibility of people crossing the boarder," he said, noting that while the oil-rich kingdom has not seen such an influx to date, "that is a possibility."
Holmes said the trouble in northern Yemen did not appear to be detracting poor Somalis from trying to access the south of the country on smugglers' ships across the Gulf of Aden.
"As far as I know there is no link between the two," he said.
The area is right next to the Saudi border. So there is a possibility of people crossing the boarderU.N. Humanitarian Coordinator John Holmes
A 23.5 million dollar appeal
Meanwhile the U.N. also launched a 23.5 million dollar appeal to help 150,000 people displaced in northern Yemen by fighting between Shiite rebels and government troops.
"The U.N. has approved 38 projects in total... on food, shelter, water sanitation, health," Holmes told journalists.
The U.N. estimates that some 150,000 people have been displaced by the conflict in northern Yemen since 2004. Among them, 55,000 had fled their homes amid intensified fighting since July.
Highlighting the problem of access faced by relief organizations, Holmes said that even data on the displaced is an estimate.
While some of the victims have made their way to camps, others have sought refuge in "schools, abandoned buildings" while others may not even have shelter.
"For the moment there is no response from the rebels concerning the ceasefire offered by the government," said Holmes.
On Wednesday, the rebel group's leader threatened a war of attrition, a day after the government refused his offer of a truce in renewed fighting that has raged since August 11.
The U.N. has approved 38 projects in total... on food, shelter, water sanitation, health