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Wednesday, April 24, 2024 18:32 GMT
Yemen's Huthis said Tuesday they have allowed the temporary resumption of UN aid flights into the capital Sanaa, a week after a halt due to Saudi-led coalition air strikes. "The civil aviation authority announces the resumption of UN and other organisation flights into Sanaa airport on a temporary basis," the rebel-run Al-Masirah television reported. Yemen has been wracked by civil war since 2014 pitting the government -- supported by the Saudi-led coalition -- against the Huthis who control much of the north. More than 80% of Yemen's population of about 30 million is dependent on humanitarian aid. The Huthis had said UN aid flights into Sanaa had been halted by Saudi-led air strikes last week, but the coalition said the airport had already been closed two days earlier and blamed the insurgents. Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said Sunday the Huthis were "militarising" Sanaa airport and using it as a "main centre for launching ballistic missiles and drones" towards the kingdom.On Saturday, the coalition launched what it called a "large-scale" military operation against the Huthis after the fatal attack. The coalition maintains its operations are carried out in accordance with international humanitarian law and has repeatedly accused the Huthis of using civilians as human shields."The escalation in recent weeks is among the worst we have seen in Yemen for years and the threat to civilian lives is increasing," Grundberg said. "Any targeting of civilians and civilian objects as well as indiscriminate attacks by any actor is a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and must stop immediately," the UN envoy said.The Huthis on Tuesday accused the coalition of preventing the entry of "communication and navigation devices... into Sanaa airport to replace the old ones". The Houthis also warned they would "hold the UN and international organisations responsible for landing and takeoff operations in the event of a sudden device failure".