Drought, Floods Push Yemenis to Breaking Point

Yemenis on the outskirts of Sanaa gather to get clean water from a tanker provided by a donor (EPA)
Yemenis on the outskirts of Sanaa gather to get clean water from a tanker provided by a donor (EPA)
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Drought, Floods Push Yemenis to Breaking Point

Yemenis on the outskirts of Sanaa gather to get clean water from a tanker provided by a donor (EPA)
Yemenis on the outskirts of Sanaa gather to get clean water from a tanker provided by a donor (EPA)

The International Committee of The Red Cross (ICRC) warned on Tuesday that the climate crisis is pushing Yemeni communities already reeling from almost eight years of conflict to the breaking point.

Yemeni farmers, relying on agriculture and livestock for their survival, have seen their livelihoods destroyed by extreme drought, devastating flooding and grinding conflict, making it harder for them to make ends meet, ICRC said in a report.

This comes at a time when the number of Houthi mine victims in agricultural areas has risen to more than 300 civilians over the past months, according to UN reports.

ICRC said flooding in recent months has had a devastating impact on the Yemeni agricultural sector, destroying crops and moving explosive remnants of war to agricultural areas.

“With Yemen facing a devastating food security crisis, this will only further exacerbate an already alarming situation,” it said.

The Committee revealed that currently, approximately 19 million people in Yemen are unable to meet their daily food needs countrywide, compared to 16.2 million last year.

“That’s about 63% of the total population, up from 53% last year,” it affirmed.

Also, the climate crisis and conflict are forcing more families to abandon their homes, ICRC said, adding that over 3.3 million people in Yemen are currently estimated to be displaced from their homes.

“It is not uncommon for people to flee their homes seeking safety from conflict to then leave again because the ground cannot be farmed,” the Committee said.

In some areas, unexploded ordnances lurk in what should be farmland, making it dangerous for people to attend to their land.

Also, water scarcity across Yemen, exacerbated by the protracted conflict and several years of droughts, has limited access to safe water for 17.8 million people, the Committee said.

It warned that the droughts have forced an increasing number of farmers to abandon their profession.

ICRC’s report also showed that Yemen, like many conflict-affected countries, is disproportionately impacted by climate change and it called for greater support to help people cope with and adapt to climate change in countries like Yemen.

The report said ICRC works in close collaboration with Yemen Red Crescent Society to support the most vulnerable rural communities to sustain their livelihoods.

In 2021, more than 112,500 livestock keepers benefited from livestock vaccination and treatment campaigns, while in 2022 thousands of farmers have benefitted from multi-purpose cash grants, micro-economic initiative projects or coffee or wheat seed donations.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs revealed that civilian casualties increased by 20 percent since the April 2 truce due to Houthi landmines compared to the previous six months.

Until September 2022, landmines and unexploded ordnance killed 95 people and injured 248 in Yemen, the UN said.

Mines mostly affect frontline areas in Hodeidah and Jawf governorates.



Iraqi Foreign Minister: We Have Received Explicit Israeli Threats

Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid addresses the Peace Forum in Duhok (Rudaw Network)
Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid addresses the Peace Forum in Duhok (Rudaw Network)
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Iraqi Foreign Minister: We Have Received Explicit Israeli Threats

Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid addresses the Peace Forum in Duhok (Rudaw Network)
Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid addresses the Peace Forum in Duhok (Rudaw Network)

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein stated on Friday that Iraq has received explicit threats from Israel, adding that the country’s armed forces have been instructed by the prime minister to prevent any attacks originating from Iraqi territory.

According to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani directed the armed forces to take action against anyone launching attacks from the country. The foreign minister emphasized that Iraq does not seek war and aims to avoid its dangers, noting that the region is “on fire” and facing “clear threats from Israel.”

The agency also reported that the Iraqi government has requested an emergency meeting of the Arab League Council to address Israeli threats. Iraq’s permanent representative to the Arab League submitted a request for a session at the level of permanent representatives of member states to confront what was described as menaces from the “Zionist entity.”

Earlier, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced that he had sent a message to the president of the UN Security Council urging immediate action against activities of Iran-backed militias in Iraq. Sa’ar asserted that the Iraqi government bears responsibility for any actions occurring within or emanating from its territory.

Meanwhile, Iraqi officials have expressed pessimism about the outcome of the ongoing war in the Middle East. Nevertheless, they emphasized Baghdad’s commitment to supporting efforts to achieve lasting peace and security.

Speaking at the American University Forum in Duhok on Friday, Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani highlighted that the challenges facing Iraq have fundamentally changed since October 7.

He described the current situation in the Middle East as a “second Nakba”, stressing that the challenges stem from the failure of the international system, which he described as “ambiguous.”

Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid stated that Iraq would play its role in promoting peace in the Middle East and expressed his full support for efforts aimed at achieving a peaceful resolution to the Kurdish issue in Türkiye.

Speaking at the Duhok Forum, Rashid said that Iraq and the region are facing circumstances that require all parties to closely monitor the situation and find appropriate solutions to ongoing problems, emphasizing the need for lasting peace and security.

Masoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, called for Iraq to remain neutral in the conflict, saying: “The crises in the region and the scenes of war in Lebanon and Gaza are tragic. We hope this suffering will come to an end.”

“We are all awaiting changes following the US presidential election. All indications suggest that a Trump administration will adopt a different approach compared to President Biden’s policies,” he added.

The Iraqi government has stated that under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with the United States, Washington is responsible for “deterring and responding to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.”

According to media reports, the US has informed Baghdad that Israeli military strikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless Baghdad prevents Iran-backed factions from launching attacks against Israel.