The United Nations (UN) has reported a significant increase in acute malnutrition in government-controlled areas of Yemen, with the most severe cases occurring along the Red Sea coast.
According to Reuters, the UN’s food security group attributes this rise to ongoing conflict, economic decline, and the spread of diseases such as cholera and measles.
The report highlights a 34% increase in malnutrition rates among children under five in government-controlled regions compared to the previous year. This affects approximately 600,000 children, with 120,000 facing severe malnutrition.
For the first time, “extremely critical” levels of malnutrition have been recorded in the southern Hodeidah lowlands and parts of the Taiz lowlands between November 2023 and June 2024.
However, the report only covers areas under government control and does not address conditions in Houthi-held regions.
It is important to note that the conflict, which began in 2015 with a Saudi-led coalition intervention following the Houthi takeover of Sanaa, has resulted in one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.
