The Yemen Crisis

Right now, in Yemen, there is a huge crisis going on. The people are facing severe consequences and it is causing deaths across the country from several different devastations. This crisis, as stated, is causing deaths among so many people, making this a massive humanitarian issue, feeding on the most venerable and oppressed people in Yemen: women, children, and the elderly.

Yemen, formed just 27 years ago in 1990, and is now extremely unstable. The country is currently going though detrimental civic unrest. This conflict heated up in 2011, the official start of the crisis, when former Yemen President Saleh was forced out of office and replaced by President Hadi. President Hadi has many outside allies, including Saudi Arabia and the United States.

Saleh loyalist, more commonly known as the Houthi rebels, are the force with strongholds in the Northern parts of Yemen. Although the Houthi rebels do not have as much support from outside allies, they have been able to take over cities in Yemen, including the Capital, Sanaa, forcing President to flee the country for a brief amount of time.

Not only is there a devastating civil conflict going on that will cause permanent damage to the country economically and politically, but there are also humanitarian issues that require immediate foreign aid.

The largest Cholera outbreak is currently going on in Yemen. There are over 5000 new cases being reported every day. By December there will be over one million cases total in Yemen. This is causing mass illnesses and death among the Yemen people. But Cholera is not the only thing, there is also no food or water available to anyone in Yemen. The ports are closed too, so they are not even able to receive foreign aid if it comes. Malnutrition is widespread throughout the country, especially affecting children.

To top it all off, these horrific events are not even the worst parts of the crisis. AQAP  and ISIS are using this time of unrest and desperation to recruit soldiers, take over land, and create their own agenda in Yemen. Currently, approximately a third of Yemen is under Al- Qaeda control or influence. This is causing a direct threat to people here in America, because these terrorist groups are considered, “anti-American” and have the potential to use this growing power in the United States.

This is one of the most impactful and least known crises going on in the world. There is so much more going on in Yemen, and there does not seem to be an end to the unrest because neither side is willing to compromise or even sit down at any peace talks. More awareness needs to be spread, because people will keep dying and Yemen may never become a stable country.