2015-04-07 08:50:00

Heavy fighting in Yemeni port city of Aden


(Vatican Radio/ agencies) Yemen’s second largest city, Aden was the site Monday of fierce fighting between Shiite Houthis and a Saudi-led coalition of supporters of the country’s embattled president, Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. The International Committee for the Red Cross, meanwhile, hopes to get medical supplies into the capital, Sanaa, or to Aden, possibly Tuesday. 

Aden, a southern port city on the Arabian Sea, was awash with blood Monday as Houthis and their allies waged their strongest push yet to seize control of the main bastion of former president Hadi’s supporters.

Some of the fiercest clashes centered in the area where the presidential palace, port facilities, TV, government offices and a military camp are located.

Saudi Arabia has been leading an air campaign against the Houthis and their allies who took control of the capital Sanaa six months ago.

Southern Yemeni militias backed by warplanes from the Saudi-led coalition attacked Houthi fighters across several provinces in south Yemen on Monday, driving the Shi'ite rebel forces from some of their positions.

The fighting has killed more than 500 people, cut off water and electricity and led the United Nations children's agency UNICEF to warn that Yemen is heading towards a humanitarian disaster.  UNICEF says at least 74 children have been killed since the Yemen conflict intensified almost two weeks ago and that more than 100,000 people have left their homes in search of safety.  Hospitals are struggling to treat large numbers of wounded with insufficient supplies.

Food, water and electricity shortages have mounted throughout the country but especially in Aden, where combat has shut ports and cut land routes from the city.

At least eight people were killed in an air strike in the suburbs of the northern city of Saadah.  Air strikes also hit air defense and coastal military units near the Red Sea port of Hodaida.

The International Committee of the Red Cross hopes to fly aid planes into Yemen on Tuesday, but the missions have been delayed because of the fighting and as they seek clearance from Arab states waging the air strikes and hunt for planes prepared to fly to Yemen.








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