UN humanitarian flights to Houthi-controlled Sanaa to resume after month-long halt

SANAA, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations (UN) said Wednesday that its humanitarian flights to Yemen's capital Sanaa will resume in February after a month-long suspension, following approval by the Houthi authorities.

"This will allow non-governmental organization personnel to enter and exit Sanaa," Julien Harneis, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, posted on social media platform X, referring to the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS).

Such access is necessary for providing humanitarian assistance for the millions of people in need in areas under de facto authority control, Harneis said.

Yemen is enduring one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises, stemming from a decade of internal conflict. The war began in 2014 when Houthi forces captured the capital, Sanaa, triggering prolonged fighting with the internationally recognized government based in Aden.

The UN estimates 21 million people require assistance, particularly in Houthi-controlled areas, while 4.8 million are displaced and nearly half a million children suffer from severe acute malnutrition. Humanitarian access remains critically constrained.

The UN reported last month that the UNHAS had been barred from flying to Sanaa for more than a month and to government-controlled Marib province for over four months. These flights are the only reliable route for aid workers to enter and exit Houthi-held territory, effectively confining many U.N. operations to government-controlled areas.

The Houthis accuse some UN agencies and aid workers of espionage, alleging collaboration with U.S. and Israeli intelligence, claims the UN has repeatedly denied. ■