Grundberg: The Houthi attack in Taiz causes civilian casualties and threatens the population

Listen to the article. The audio text is automated, generated by an automated system

The United Nations Special Envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, said on Friday that the military escalation carried out by the Houthis in Taiz Governorate led to civilian casualties, damaged infrastructure and closed roads, warning of serious risks to the population.

Grundberg said in a statement that his office had received "deeply disturbing" reports of casualties, damage to infrastructure, and road closures, hindering the ability of civilians to leave combat zones.

The UN envoy called on the Houthis to stop their military attack, and urged all parties to protect civilians and civilian facilities and ensure safe and unhindered access to humanitarian aid.

He pointed out that Taiz Governorate currently hosts the majority of Yemenis who were recently displaced due to fighting in other areas, which increases the severity of the humanitarian risks resulting from the escalation.

This comes as fighting continues to escalate in Taiz and other areas, amid new waves of displacement linked to the confrontations, according to what the United Nations reported.

The international organization reported in September that thousands of families were displaced from Taiz and areas south of Hodeidah as the fighting escalated.

Earlier Thursday, the head of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad Al-Alimi, said that the Houthi group, following what he described as “successive failures and major losses” on the battlefields, is trying to compensate for its field deficit by waging a massive psychological war.

He said that Taiz "was and will remain one of the great national fortresses," adding that attempts to subjugate it or break its will "will fail as they failed in the past."