CAIRO: The World Food Program has halted food shipments to Houthi-held areas of Yemen and suspended food distribution there after the militants looted one of its warehouses in the north, its deputy director said Thursday.
The suspension is a further blow in the war-torn country, where hunger has been growing. In February, the WFP said 62 percent of households it surveyed couldn鈥檛 get enough food, a figure that has been rising for the past nine months. It estimates that some 17 million people 鈥� early half Yemen鈥檚 population 鈥� are food insecure.
Carl Skau, WFP鈥檚 deputy executive director and chief operating officer, told The Associated Press that Houthis seized the warehouse in the northern region of Saada in mid-March and took around $1.6 million in supplies.
The seizure was the latest friction between the Houthis and the United Nations. The militants in recent months have detained dozens of UN staffers, as well as people associated with aid groups, civil society and the once-open US Embassy in Sanaa, Yemen鈥檚 capital.
UN agencies, including the WFP, had already halted operations in Saada, the Houthis鈥� stronghold, in February after seven WFP staffers and another UN worker were detained, and one of the WFP members died in prison. It continued low-level operations in other parts of Yemen under the Houthis鈥� control.
After the seizure of the warehouse, the WFP halted shipments of new supplies to Houthi-held areas, Skau said.
鈥淭he operating environment needs to be conducive for us to continue,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e cannot accept that our colleagues are being detained, and much less so that our colleagues are dying in detention. And we cannot accept our assets are being looted.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 something we don鈥檛 take lightly because the needs are massive,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he humanitarian implications of this are deep and extensive 鈥� It鈥檚 clear the food security situation is deteriorating.鈥�
Yemen has been torn by civil war for more than a decade. Houthi militants hold the capital Sanaa and much of the north and center of the country, where the majority of its population of nearly 40 million live. The internationally recognized government controls the south and west.
Throughout the war, Yemen has been threatened by hunger, nearly falling into full-fledged famine. The impoverished nation imports most of its food.
Skau said the WFP is seeking Houthi permission to distribute food that remains in other warehouses in the north. He said that if UN workers are released, it could resume programs distributing food to some 3 million people in Houthi-held areas.
The WFP is also providing food assistance to some 1.6 million people in southern Yemen, areas controlled by the government and its allies.
But the organization has warned its programs there could be hurt after US President Donald Trump鈥檚 administration has cut off funding for WFP鈥檚 emergency programs in Yemen.
A WFP official said the organization was reducing its staff in Yemen, and that around 200 employees 鈥� 40 percent of its workforce 鈥� have been given a month鈥檚 notice. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the personnel situation.
鈥淲e have now a challenge in the south when it comes to the funding,鈥� Skau said. 鈥淏ut we鈥檙e hoping that that can be resolved moving forward.鈥�