Yemeni governmental troops control strategic city of Mukha

Yemen’s forces loyal to legitimate government of President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi revealed that they managed to control a number of military sites in the northern area of strategic city of Mokha. Meanwhile, two civilians were killed by unidentified gunmen in the town of Sayoun, the second largest city in Hadramout province in the east of the country.

The military source revealed that government forces took control of al-Kadihah area and 5 farms north of Al-Mukha city, with air support from Arab coalition fighters. It added that Houthi militias and other forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh launched an attack initially on the positions of government forces in the area of Zahari and its surroundings, and the government forces responded to them.

It pointed out that the fighters launched more than a dozen air raids in those locations, and the air strikes killed and wounded Huthis and Saleh's forces, and the destruction of military equipments. In the city of Sayoun, east of Yemen, a security official told Anatolia that gunmen in a car shot two civilians, Salim bin Taleb and Sultan al-Sayari, killing them immediately.

On the political side, United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed said Sunday that he is considering a proposal to conclude a truce before the holy month of Ramadan, paving the way for the resumption of peace talks between the Yemeni parties.

Addressing a session on "Political Crisis and their Implications on the Stability of the Middle East" which was held on the sidelines of the 17th Doha Forum, Ould Cheikh said that he is working on reaching ceasefire in Yemen before Ramadan, paving the way for a new round of talks between the Yemeni parties and the stopping military operations towards Al Hudaida Port.

"We are looking for a compromise with regard to Al Hudaida Port, and we need the consensus of all parties to stop the conflict and this will alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people and make way for a solution," he added.

The UN envoy expressed thanks and appreciation for the State of Qatar for supporting his efforts aiming at reaching a solution to the conflict in Yemen, highlighting Qatar's prominent role in the international arena.

He described the situation in Yemen as "terrible", noting that the conflict has so far left more than 8,000 dead and more than 44 thousand injured, adding that Yemen will face great challenges in achieving development and maintaining stability.

He warned that the continuation of the conflict will lead to further deterioration and exacerbation of the humanitarian crisis in the country in addition to the risks it imposes to the regional stability, adding that the division of the international community towards Yemen will exacerbate the suffering and prevent the parties from reaching a solution.

The UN envoy praised the great support provided by the GCC countries to Yemen, and called on the international community to help the Yemeni people reach a lasting peace and develop mechanisms to rebuild Yemen in partnership with international and regional institutions.

On the other hand, a state of emergency has been declared in the Yemeni capital Sana'a after authorities warned that the cholera outbreak, which has already killed dozens of people in the country, could lead to an "unprecedented disaster".

Around 115 people have died from cholera nationwide from 27 April to 13 May and more than 8,500 have been infected by the disease in the Houthi rebels-controlled city, BBC reported. According to the Red Cross, the number of suspected cases in war-torn country has tripled in a week.

To avert any major disaster from occurring due to the outbreak of the diarrheal disease, Yemen's health ministry has urged humanitarian organisations and aid donors to help it deal with the epidemic.

The country's healthcare system is reportedly struggling to cope as it nearly collapsed due to the ongoing civil war, the state news agency, Saba, said. Only a few medical facilities are thought to be functioning in the country.

Yemen is reeling from the conflict between the Houthi rebels and the government, which escalated in March 2015 when Saudi Arabia started extending support to the Yemeni government. The conflict is characterised as a proxy war between Sunni forces in Saudi Arabia and Shia Muslims in Iran. The death toll in two-year deadly conflict has crossed more than 10,000.

According to the UN, two-thirds of the Yemeni population does not have access to safe drinking water.

Cholera is a water-borne bacterial disease that is transmitted through contaminated food and water. Acute diarrhoea and vomiting are some of the main symptoms of the disease. Although the infection can be treated, it needs timely attention. Death can also occur within hours if a patient is left untreated.

Source: Timesofoman