UN: Deal reached on increasing supplies to Yemen

2 September 2015, 7:45 pm

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The United Nations says it has reached agreement with Yemen’s government and a Saudi-led military coalition on increasing the flow of badly needed goods like food and fuel to Yemen.

The impoverished Arab country relies on imports for about 90 percent of its supplies, but it has been brought to the brink of famine as months of fighting have held up commercial imports and aid deliveries.

Fighters against Shiite rebels known as Houthis gather at a street in the port city of Aden, Yemen, Thursday, July 16, 2015. (AP Photo/Abo Muhammed)

The UN’s regional humanitarian coordinator for the Yemen crisis confirmed through a spokeswoman Wednesday that an agreement has been reached on a mechanism to verify and inspect both aid and commercial goods.

It is not yet clear when the mechanism will be operational because of funding and other issues.

A Saudi-led, US-backed coalition has been launching airstrikes against Shiite Houthi rebels since March.

— AP