A mounting humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding in Yemen's city of Taiz following nearly three weeks of a crippling siege by Houthi forces, the United Nations has warned. The Iran-backed groups have reportedly encircled Taiz since early October, cutting off the vital arterial road linking it to Aden, the interim capital of Yemen’s internationally recognised administration. Consequently, critical supplies of food, fuel, and medical goods have been effectively blocked from entering the besieged urban area.

Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN humanitarian agency OCHA, informed a press briefing in Geneva that Taiz has remained completely isolated for 20 days. He stated that ongoing hostilities render humanitarian access virtually impossible while trapping local civilians inside the conflict zone. Most residents reportedly rely on water delivered by trucks, the prices of which have allegedly tripled, while cooking gas remains largely unavailable, severely disrupting community kitchens that support vulnerable families. The UN World Food Programme estimates that over 800,000 individuals are cut off from essential aid.

Healthcare facilities across the province are simultaneously facing acute shortages of fuel, oxygen, and medical supplies, with numerous clinics operating under critical deficits. Meanwhile, representatives of the internationally recognised government claimed to have neutralized hundreds of combatants in recent counterattacks, figures that remain unverified by independent sources. In response to the escalating fallout, the European regime announced the release of an additional 22.5 million euros in aid, though analysts remain skeptical about the long-term efficacy of such measures in resolving the deep-seated structural conflict.

Source: www.aljazeera.com