Yemen: Attacks on Health Care Facilities Must Stop

Geneva / Sana’a – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is appalled by the continuing attacks on health care facilities in Yemen, the latest of which took place in the city of Taiz.

“Al-Thawra hospital, one of the main health care facilities in Taiz which is providing treatment for about 50 injured people every day was reportedly shelled several times on Sunday. The shelling endangered the lives of patients and staff on site,” said the deputy head of the ICRC delegation in Yemen, Kedir Awol Omar.

It is not the first time health facilities have been attacked. An MSF hospital in Haydan district of Saada was also attacked on the 26th of October. Close to a hundred similar incidents have been reported since March 2015.

“The neutrality of health care facilities and staff is not being respected. Health facilities are deliberately attacked and surgical and medical supplies are also being blocked from reaching hospitals in areas under siege,” said Mr Omar.

Deliberate attacks on health facilities represent a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law (IHL). All those taking part in the fighting are, in accordance with IHL, obliged to protect medical facilities and personnel at all times.

The health situation in Taiz has been particularly dire for months. Less than half of the previously functioning health facilities are having to deal with a large number of wounded people amidst severe shortage of supplies.

The ICRC has been trying to deliver medical supplies to Taiz for nearly two months but to no avail. The ICRC calls on all those taking part in the fighting to allow such supplies to be delivered to Taiz and other areas in the country and to stop all attacks on health care facilities.