UN: Humanitarian situation deteriorating in Yemen

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs for Yemen said Thursday that half of the population of Yemen needs humanitarian assistance.

"In Yemen, there are one million acutely malnourished children. It is the highest number after Afghanistan," Johannes Van Der Klaauw, Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen said at a press conference.

Klaauw continued saying that in addition to 1.33 million people being displaced "7.6 million people need urgent need of humanitarian assistance."

UN humanitarian agencies have appealed for US$592 million from international donors and countries within the framework of the UN humanitarian response plan for Yemen. 

Klaauw added that the political transition process in the country is in jeopardy and UN humanitarian workers have also been dealing with concerns over security.

Approximately 1,000 Yemeni’s are being expelled by Saudi Arabia every day and since June 2013 around 550,000 Yemeni’s have been expelled, which is forcing them to return to Yemen adding to the deterioration of the humanitarian situation.

Yemen in 'open war' with Al-Qaeda: President

Meanwhile Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi on Thursday said his country was in "open war" with Al-Qaeda, asserting that Yemen's security forces would maintain security operations until militancy in the country was stamped out.

Yemen recently launched an offensive against suspected Al-Qaeda elements in the restive, southern provinces of Shabwah and Abyan, where the group continues to stage sporadic attacks on army and police personnel.

Speaking at a meeting with top security officials, Hadi said the campaign would soon be expanded to include the central Ma'rib and Al-Bayda' provinces.

"This terrorist organization [Al-Qaeda] has committed grave crimes against the people and nation," Hadi said. "Their barbaric aggression has reached the capital, Sanaa… we must work to uproot terror by any means necessary."

Yemen has been dogged by turmoil since pro-democracy protests in 2011 forced autocratic president Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down after 33 years in power.

The army has recently claimed to have made "major advances," killing large numbers of Al-Qaeda militants.