Houthi leader threatens World Food Programme after aid looting allegation
The leader of the Iran-backed Houthi rebels threatened to retaliate against the UN’s food agency after the militants were accused of stealing aid from civilians and diverting deliveries.
The World Food Programme said on Monday it had evidence showing that the rebels diverted shipments of food sent to help ease Yemen’s humanitarian crisis and were stealing “from the mouths of hungry people”.
Mohammed Al Houthi, head of the Supreme Revolutionary Council, said the World Food Programme’s statements were politically motivated.
Mr Al Houthi said the agency had not communicated officially with the rebels about the theft of food. He threatened action against the body and said they did not provide enough food for the Yemeni people.
He accused international organisations in Yemen of being political, singling out staff in the office of the UN envoy to Yemen.
Mr Al Houthi also threatened to prosecute the food agency for providing poor-quality food, which was rejected by the Houthi government.
Meanwhile, a woman was killed and another severely injured when a Houthi sniper shot them in the village of Al Ouksh in Hays province south of Hodeidah on Monday, witness Faisal Durami told The National.
Mr Durami said that Rana Awadh, 40, was shot dead by a Houthi sniper while she was trying to get water at night with a neighbour, who was severely injured.
“The Houthis escalated their aggressive shelling against the civilians in the district of Hays,” Mr Durami said. “Exploiting the halt in the city, they keep shelling randomly over the residences.
“They know that no forces affiliated with the resistance are in the south-west of Hays.”
Residents said that dozens of families were displaced on Monday in the southern Hodeidah district of Al Duraihmi, as they escaped heavy Houthi shelling on their homes.
They said the Houthis had caused major damage to their homes and cattle.
Many families followed the main route linking the southern areas of Hodeidah with the city centre, trying to get lifts to Al Khokhah and Mokha.
In the eastern parts of Hodeidah, the Houthis continued to breach the UN-sponsored ceasefire.
Aseel Al Sakladi, spokesman for Al Amalikah Brigades, said the Houthi militia continued shelling vehicles from government and allied forces who were clearing roads and reopening the route at Kilo 16.
The road clearing was part of the deal agreed to with Patrick Cammaert, the head of the Reconciliation Co-ordination Committee that is monitoring the ceasefire and withdrawal of troops from Hodeidah city and its port.