A lot of people know about the Russia-Ukraine war, but unfortunately, there are many more wars happening in different parts of the world- which are pretty much unknown to most people. An example of this is in the Middle East: the war in Yemen. 

What is the war/ What led to the war?

The war in Yemen started in the Arab Spring of 2011, when an uprising forced the country’s long-time authoritarian president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, to hand over power to his deputy, Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi. The political transition was supposed to bring stability to Yemen, one of the Middle East’s poorest nations, but President Hadi struggled to deal with various problems including militant attacks, corruption, food insecurity, and continuing loyalty of many military officers to Saleh. Fighting began in 2014 when the Houthi Shia Muslim rebel movement took advantage of the new president’s weakness and seized control of northern Saada province and neighboring areas. The Houthis went on to take the capital Sanaa, forcing Mr. Hadi into exile abroad. The conflict escalated dramatically in March 2015, when Saudi Arabia and eight other mostly Sunni Arab states – backed by the US, UK, and France – began air strikes against the Houthis, with the declared aim of restoring Mr. Hadi’s government.

What is the United States government doing about it?

According to the United States Department of State, “The United States is providing more than $290 million in additional humanitarian assistance for the people of Yemen.” Even with the amount of help, the United States, other countries, and organizations are providing, unfortunately, the people who need this help the most are not really getting it; they are stuck in refugee camps with no exact way to leave.

What is really needed by Yemenis affected by the war?

A lot of Yemenis affected by the war are stuck in refugee camps, with no way to really get out since Saudi Arabia shares a border with Yemen. Also, a lot of countries refuse to accept the Yemenis affected by the war. Therefore, there are so many Yemenis in need, and what they need the most is somewhere safe to be. They also need better medical care, as well as good food and clean water. They need to not worry where their next meal is going to come from, nor should they worry about thick clothes for winter- but this can only be guaranteed if other countries come together to provide help. The United Nations needs to be more “intentional” about providing help to the victims of this war.