One Civilian Violently Killed Every Three Hours in Yemen

(ANTIWAR.COM) — International aid group Oxfam has issued a warning on Friday that the number of civilian deaths in Yemen is soaring since August. During that time, they estimate that a civilian is killed roughly every three hours in a violent attack.

While some get caught in the cross-fire, most are victims of Saudi airstrikes, and that has Oxfam urging the world, and the US and UK in particular, to suspend arms sales to the Saudis. They say this is necessary “because of their disregard for civilian lives.”

In addition to the roughly 575 civilians killed this way from the start of August to mid-October, Oxfam warns that many more Yemeni civilians are dying of hunger and disease, which has been a mounting problem because of the Saudi-led naval blockade.

Yemen has almost no arable land, and has to import some 90% of its food in peacetime. During the war, this has meant most food and medicine only going to Saudi-controlled ports. The last Houthi-controlled aid port is under attack by the Saudis, and the route out of the city into the rest of northern Yemen is virtually impassable.

By Jason Ditz / Republished with permission / ANTIWAR.COM / Report a typo