The reopening of the airport in Yemen's capital Sanaa for medical patients may save lives of those stuck in the war-torn country, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said in a statement on Wednesday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 27th November, 2019) The reopening of the airport in Yemen's capital Sanaa for medical patients may save lives of those stuck in the war-torn country, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said in a statement on Wednesday.
"For the last three years the Sana'a airport closure has been a death sentence for thousands of women, children and men who died prematurely because they were unable to get treatment abroad. Today's move comes too late for them, but will hopefully save the lives of other Yemenis caught in the conflict and with no available treatment in the country," NRC Secretary General Jan Egeland was quoted as saying in the statement.
Egeland provided little optimism in the message, going on to call for the end of the blockade by Saudi-led coalition which it says have brought over 10 million people to the brink of starvation.
The statement comes amid moves perceived to be aimed at a peace settlement by the Saudi-led coalition. Earlier on Tuesday, Saudi Press Agency circulated a statement from the kingdom's defense ministry stating it intends to release 200 Houthi captives from its prisons as well as resume air traffic over Yemen for patients in need of medical treatment abroad.
Yemen has been locked in a conflict between the government forces led by President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi and the Houthi rebels. The Saudi-led coalition has been conducting strikes against the Houthis at Hadi's request since March 2015.
