WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th August, 2018) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats must brief Congress on the worsening humanitarian crisis in Yemen, 30 members of the House of Representatives, all Democrats, said in a letter.
"We write to express our deepening concern regarding the humanitarian crisis in Yemen and to request a briefing for all House members during the first week of September on the policy objectives of the United States with respect to Yemen," the letter said on Tuesday.
The briefing should include an update on Defense Department assistance to the Saudi-led coalition conducting military operations in Yemen, counter-terrorism activities against al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and against the Islamic State terror group (outlawed in Russia), according to the letter.
"Specifically, we would like an update on the situation in Al Hudaydah as a recent escalation in the port city threatens to worsen the humanitarian crisis and undermine a negotiated political settlement," the letter said.
Three years into the conflict, 22 million people require humanitarian assistance and almost 18 million people lack access to food, the members of Congress pointed out in the letter.
