Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen Reaches 'Catastrophic Level' - US Aid Group

The Mercy Corps Yemen Program director told Sputnik that the ceasefire in Yemen would help deliver food, water and medical care to civilians amid the "catastrophic" humanitarian situation.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — A UN envoy’s announcement of a ceasefire in Yemen’s civil war is a welcome sign that emergency supplies of food, water, fuel and medical care may reach civilians trapped by the conflict, the aid group Mercy Corps Yemen Program Director Jonathan Bartolozzi told Sputnik on Friday.

"Any diplomatic progress is a welcome sign, and we hope that this latest ceasefire proposal translates into changes on the ground," Bartolozzi said. "The humanitarian crisis in Yemen has escalated to a catastrophic level, with millions of innocent civilians struggling to survive."

"An end to the fighting and the importation of food, water, fuel and medical assistance are urgently needed," he told Sputnik.

Shia Houthi Rebels supported by army units loyal to former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh plunged the country into civil war with the March 2015 seizure of the nation’s capital, Sanaa.

Earlier this week, UN Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed announced that parties in the war had agreed to a ceasefire beginning April 10, followed by peace talks in Kuwait the following week.

Previous ceasefire agreements have failed to hold, with each side accusing opposing forces of violating the terms. Switzerland hosted an earlier round of peace talks in December.