Humanitarian Update
OCHA released the February update for the Snapshot on Shipping, Food and Fuel Imports into Yemen. The trend of highly variable imports continues, with the volume of overall imports down against the previous month. There was a 24% drop in humanitarian food imports, with food prices noted as 7% higher than pre-conflict levels. Fuel imports were at 15% of monthly requirements, with prices 55% higher than pre-conflict levels. Lower levels of ships berthed were also reported, with this ‘largely attributable to increased bureaucratic challenges, rising insurance costs and demurrage charges, and credit line uncertainties.’ Local armed fighters and coalition forces have seized control of the western enclaves of Taiz city. Intense fighting is ongoing with heavy shelling and bombing. MSF warned that ‘with the intensity of the fighting growing over recent weeks, people in Taiz are at even greater risk at becoming caught up in the conflict’.