UN & 20 aid groups warn of starvation in Yemen due to Arab coalition blockade

The UN and more than 20 aid groups have warned that the Arab coalition’s tightening of a blockade on war-torn Yemen could bring millions of people closer to “starvation and death,” AP reported on Thursday. Unless the coalition lifts its blockade, the nation will face “the largest famine the world has seen for many decades, with millions of victims,” the UN said. About two-thirds of Yemen’s population relies on imported supplies, according to aid groups, including CARE, Save the Children, and Islamic Relief. Over 20 million people need humanitarian assistance, including seven million who are facing “famine-like” conditions. Food supplies are expected to run out within six weeks, while vaccines against disease will last only a month.