The United Nations is warning the U.S.-supported, Saudi-led assault on Yemen is contributing to the death of a young child every 10 minutes. Geert Cappelaere of the U.N. Children’s Fund, UNICEF, warned Saturday that a Saudi assault and blockade on the port city of Hodeidah is increasing shortages of food, drinking water and medicine.
Geert Cappelaere: “Today, every 10 minutes in Yemen, a child is dying from preventable diseases. … Today in Yemen, 1.8 million children under the age of 5 are suffering from acute malnutrition; 400,000 of these children are suffering the life-threatening form of severe acute malnutrition.”
The U.N. now says some 14 million Yemenis are on the verge of famine, with 1.2 million suspected cases of cholera and over 2,400 cholera-related deaths since an outbreak began last year. The Trump administration continues to support the Saudi-led coalition with weapons sales, intelligence sharing and midair-refueling missions for Saudi coalition bombers.