Posted on 05/07/2015 8:56:13 AM PDT by xzins
Merchant vessels are taking weeks to deliver vital food supplies to Yemen as Saudi-led coalition warships search for arms bound for Iran-allied Houthi fighters and heavy fighting disrupts shipments in a worsening humanitarian crisis.
The conflict has hurt imports to Yemen, where about 20 million people or 80 percent of the population, are estimated to be going hungry.
The Arabian peninsula's poorest country, Yemen imports more than 90 percent of its food, including most of its wheat and all its rice - most of it by sea. It faces increasing problems as many shipping companies have pulled out and those still willing to bring cargoes in face a long wait to get navy clearance.
The prospect of a humanitarian emergency has added to international pressure on Saudi Arabia to bring its military campaign to a close.
Riyadh is leading a coalition of Sunni Muslim states in support of exiled president Abd-Rabbu Mansour al-Hadi against the Houthis, fighters from the Shi'ite minority, who have emerged as the country's most powerful force since seizing the capital last year.
Before the fighting, entering and discharging at Yemen's ports would have taken a few days at most. Picking up deliveries from the ports is also taking longer now as logistical networks are increasingly strained by the violence and fuel shortages.
At least 10 merchant ships carrying wheat and other food commodities are still waiting offshore to discharge at Yemen's functioning ports of Salif and Hodaida on the Red Sea - some of them stuck for at least two weeks, according to ship and port tracking data, and confirmed by industry sources.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
"The (Saudi) blockade was supposed to be used to prevent arms from reaching Yemen. But instead, everything is being prevented from entering, including humanitarian supplies. There is increasing discontent among Yemenis."
I fail to see the problem here. (evil grin)
The “concerned caucus” always moans when Israel stops arms shipments to Palestine and cries that they’re starving the people.
Is it the same thing going on here? The al Qaeda supporters worrying about interruption of their arms shipments?
After reading “They import 90% of their food”...I knew I was going to hell, because my first thought was of dearly departed Sam Kinison....
“Send’em U-Hauls..”
Can’t the cameraman give ‘em a sandwich?
Could do a ham sandwich with pork rinds.
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