Aid ship arrives in war-torn south Yemen port carrying food

A World Food Program ship carrying badly needed aid arrived in Yemen's war-torn southern city of Aden on Tuesday, the first vessel chartered by the UN agency to be able to berth there since Saudi-led airstrikes on Shia rebels in the country began in March.

In a statement, the WFP said the ship that arrived earlier this week carries 3,000 metric tons (3,300 tons) of food for people in contested southern governorates. "This is a major breakthrough for our humanitarian response," WFP regional director Muhannad Hadi said. "While we have been able to reach several southern areas by land, docking at the port of Aden allows us to accelerate our response to meet urgent needs."

The group had tried repeatedly to send ships to Aden, but all had been previously blocked by severe fighting in the port area. Vessels landed in another nearby port, and aid was delivered by road. The last such road delivery arrived on 14 July for around 27,000 people. The new shipment can feed up to 180,000 people, and more vessels carrying much-needed fuel and food are planned in the coming days.

"If conditions remain safe enough, as they are now, we will be able to have other ships arrive safely and offload," said Dina el-Kassaby, also of WFP. Co-ordination is also needed with the Saudi-led coalition, which has imposed a sea and air blockade on Yemen since it began its airstrikes.

The fighting in Yemen pits the Houthis and troops loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh against southern separatists, local and tribal militias, Sunni Islamic militants and loyalists of exiled President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who is now based in Saudi Arabia.

The rebels seized Sanaa in September. Fierce fighting in Aden broke out in March, sparking the Saudi-led airstrikes. More than 1,690 civilians have been killed since then, the United Nations said on Tuesday.    (AP)

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