Humanitarian organizations warn: Yemen on brink of famine

Humanitarian organizations have warned that Yemen is close to famine following a 25 percent increase in severe hunger and Saudi Arabia’s assault on the key port city Hudaydah.

Humanitarian organizations have warned that Yemen is close to famine following a 25 percent increase in severe hunger and Saudi Arabia’s assault on the key port city Hudaydah.

“We perceive the country to be sitting on a knife edge in terms of famine – it could tip at any time really,” said Suze van Meegen, a spokeswoman for the Norwegian Refugee Council on Monday.

“The desperation we are seeing is becoming greater – more people are begging in the streets,” she added.

The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) also announced that four in every 10 children under the age of five were now acutely malnourished.

“Averting famine in Yemen will be contingent on the ability of WFP and other humanity agencies to reach the populations in need to sustain humanitarian assistance,” said Yemen country director for the WFP said Stephen Anderson.