Yemen: Sana'a airport closure hinders humanitarian operations
Sana'a airport buildings damaged by coalition strikes on December 21, 2021. REUTERS - KHALED ABDULLAH
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Sana'a airport, in the hands of the Houthi rebels, has been closed to humanitarian and UN aircraft since Tuesday.
The blame for strikes by the coalition led by Saudi Arabia.
Riyadh says it is responding to drone attacks by the Houthis.
But the consequences are direct for NGOs and by extension for civilians who live on humanitarian aid.
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After the coalition strikes,
the airport in the Yemeni capital
was no longer able on Tuesday December 21 to receive planes from the United Nations and international humanitarian organizations.
On Monday evening, the coalition claimed to have carried out "
precise and limited airstrikes targeting legitimate military targets at Sana'a international airport
". An operation "
conducted in response to the threat and the use of airport infrastructure to launch cross-border attacks
," she said in a statement, cited by the official Saudi agency SPA. Coalition forces targeted six targets at the airport, including sites intended to "
carry out drone bomb attacks
" and "
train terrorist elements
" in these devices, she added.
According to the coalition, the Saudi raids are not likely to "
affect the operational capacities
" of the airport and are "in
accordance with international humanitarian law
".
On Tuesday, the coalition said Saudi airports were ready to receive humanitarian flights to Yemen, the aid of which will be channeled through "
access points
" under UN supervision, according to a statement broadcast by television. Saudi State El-Ekhbariya.
"The closure of the Sana'a airport necessarily impacts our projects in northern Yemen"
The UN, for its part, reiterated its call to keep Sanaa airport open. "
We call on all parties to keep the airport open for humanitarian operations,
" deputy UN spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters on Tuesday, adding that "
the equipment necessary to maintain humanitarian flights must be preserved so that it remains operational
”.
“
The activity we do in northern Yemen depends entirely on the Sanaa airport.
This is the only way for our international medical and non-medical staff to reach northern Yemen,
explains Evgenia Zelikova is deputy head of the Yemen cell at Doctors Without Borders.
It is also our supply of drugs and medical equipment, as well as logistical equipment.
So the closure of the Sana'a airport necessarily impacts our projects in northern Yemen.
This is not the first time that the airport has been closed since the start of the conflict.
Each time, the prolonged closure of the airport presents us with difficulties in carrying out our activities.
"
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Yemen
Humanitarian
Transport
Saudi Arabia