HIGHLIGHTS
Airstrikes and clashes intensify following end of ceasefire; civilians increasingly affected
Next round of peace talks postponed, UN anticipates negotiations to resume in late January
Commercial food imports continue to increase, although food remains scarce and expensive in acutely conflictaffected governorates
KEY DEVELOPMENTS
On January 2, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia(KSA)-led Coalition announced an end to the ceasefire that accompanied mid-December peace talks. Media reports indicate that hostilities, including airstrikes, continued across parts of the country during the ceasefire. Responding to allegations regarding the use of cluster bombs in residential areas, UN Secretary-General (SYG) Ban Ki-moon urged all parties to refrain from targeting civilians and to abide by international humanitarian law.
The UN has postponed the next round of peace talks between the Republic of Yemen Government (RoYG), Al Houthi representatives, and other stakeholders due to disagreements regarding the start date. Participants had not agreed on a new date as of January 15, although the UN anticipates that negotiations could resume by late January.
Food availability improved in December 2015 due to an increase in commercial activity, according to the UN World Food Program (WFP). Despite the improvement, severe food insecurity persists throughout the country, and individuals in acutely conflictaffected areas—including Al Bayda’, Sana’a, and Ta’izz governorates—continue to experience food scarcity and above-average food and commodity prices.
Response organizations report that humanitarian conditions continue to deteriorate in Ta’izz city due to intense clashes that have damaged critical infrastructure, disrupted market activity, and largely precluded relief actors from assisting approximately 200,000 residents. While some humanitarian organizations—including USG partners—have reached conflict-affected people in the city, access constraints and insecurity have significantly limited humanitarian operations.