UN plans food aid for victims of Yemen conflict

By Staff
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SANAA, June 5 (Reuters) The United Nations will begin distributing food aid to some 20,000 people displaced by fighting between Yemeni government forces and Shi'ite Muslim rebels, a UN official said today.

''Many of the displaced fled their homes with only what they could carry and they are now living with families and friends in remote locations outside Saada,'' said Mohamed El Kouhene, the UN World Food Programme's country director in Yemen.

''We are anxious to reach all of them with assistance as soon as possible.'' The aid is part of a two-month operation launched by the WFP last week with a total cost of 443,000 dollars.

The WFP also said in a statement it would begin distributing the food to around 2,000 people living in camps in the troubled northern province of Saada. Those living with host families are getting ration cards instead.

Hundreds of people have been killed and thousands have fled their homes since the clashes between government security forces and the rebels led by Abdul-Malik al-Houthi began in January.

Besides the aid for Saada, the agency said it has a new 48 million dollars five-year country programme targeting one million Yemenis. The plan will focus on getting more girls into schools and improving the health of malnourished infants, pregnant and lactating women as well as people with contagious diseases.

Located on the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, Yemen has a fast-growing population of more than 19 million and is one of the poorest countries outside Africa.

REUTERS ABM RK2115

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