Military
Saudi Arabia, a Middle Eastern country surrounded by Iraq, Yemen, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, is at war with Yemen. Yemen is an impoverished country experiencing a humanitarian crisis, largely brought on by a civil war sparked in 2015. Parties to the conflict in Yemen include the government, southern secessionists, the Houthi insurgency, religious militant groups, and forces aligned with Saudi Arabia. After two years of conflict, Saudi Arabia launched a coalition of militaries in March 2015. Initially, Saudi Arabia sought to defend the legitimate government of Yemen from the Houthis, an Islamic revolutionary group that triggered a civil war against the government.
The Saudi-led coalition has been involved in airstrikes, blockading Yemen’s ports, enforcing a naval blockade, and land incursions, resulting in numerous civilian casualties, a military stalemate, and exacerbation of the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Reports estimate that conflicts in Yemen have directly killed around 100,000 people, between January 2016 and October 2018, and 70,000 civilians have been injured.
International criticism of the coalition’s actions has increased, with particular criticism of the Saudi air campaign, and the coalition’s alleged use of starvation as a weapon of war. One of the main sources of international criticism has been the Saudi blockade of Yemeni ports—including the country’s only international airport – and its refusal to allow humanitarian aid to pass, resulting in ailing infrastructure, shortages of food, medicines and other essentials. Moreover, accusations of war crimes against the Saudi-led coalition have mounted, as well as calls for censuring Saudi Arabia for their actions.
The Saudi government, however, maintain that its involvement in Yemen is justified. They argue that a political solution is the only way forward, and point out that their aim is to support the legitimate government of Yemen, and to restore order and security in the country.
Human Rights
The war has precipitated an overall decline in civil liberties in Yemen. State oppression and discrimination against minorities has become more common, as has discrimination against women, whilst violence and terrorism have drastically increased. Recent years have seen increasing anti-government violence, as Houthi forces battle government forces across the country.
Yemeni cities have been placed under strict curfews by the government and their populations have been cut off from electricity, water, fuel, and essential medicines, leading to famine and the spread of illnesses such as cholera. As of October 2018, an estimated 14 million Yemeni civilians were on the brink of famine. The international NGO Reporters without Borders, has alleged that Saudi Arabia has been censoring the press, detaining journalists, and banning books and publications that discuss political issues or criticism of the government.
In addition, the United Nations has reported misappropriation of aid intended for the Yemeni people. The misappropriation of aid is reported to have resulted in funding of various militias and warlords that operate indiscriminately against the government, causing more civilian suffering. Moreover, there have been allegations of abuse of human rights. Amnesty International have accused the Saudi-led coalition of US arms of killing civilians, including children, as they carried out airstrike campaigns against Houthi military targets.
International human rights organizations have called for an investigation into the conflict and for the regime and the coalition’s actions to be held accountable. The US government has also been urged to investigate its allies’ crime of war. However, to date, none of these efforts have come to fruition.
Politics
The Yemeni Civil War is largely seen as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran, two regional rivals. Saudi Arabia’s desire to protect its southern border from incursions into its territory by Iran-backed Houthi rebels is an important factor in its involvement in the conflict. The Saudi kingdom has long accused Iran of supporting the Houthi rebel group, despite repeated denials from Tehran. Saudi Arabia’s mission in Yemen is seen as an attempt to protect the Saudi-government-friendly tribes living in the country’s north-west.
Since February 2019, a fragile ceasefire agreement has been in place. Whilst there appear to have been some minor troop withdrawals on both sides, the conflict continues in parts of the country. Since 2015, the parties involved in the conflict have sporadically held negotiations, primarily facilitated by the United Nations, in an attempt to find a peaceful resolution. So far these negotiations have been unsuccessful.
The current political situation has only complicated matters, with the current President of Yemen, Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, refusing to step down despite a lack of international recognition for his government. He is backed by Saudi Arabia, whilst the Houthi rebels have the support of Iran. In addition, there is the presence of various major armed factions, including al-Qaeda and the Islamic State in parts of the country. The Yemeni Civil War has resulted in the deaths of thousands and is still far from resolution.
Economy
Yemen was already one of the poorest countries in the Arab world prior to the war. Since the conflict began in 2015, the Yemeni economy has gone into freefall: the local currency has drastically depreciated, unemployment has skyrocketed, basic standards of living have been undercut and the country’s infrastructure has been critically damaged. International sanctions and a sharp decrease in remittances sent back to the country by migrant workers have also added to the economic crisis.
In addition, Saudi Arabia’s refusal to open certain border crossings and ports, including the country’s only international airport, have undermined the delivery of medical aid and supplies. The restrictions on humanitarian aid and the lack of financial resources have debilitated the health system in Yemen, with reports of hospitals and pharmacies running out of medicines and supplies. Much of the economic crisis has been felt by Yemen’s women, with the devaluation of the Yemeni Riyal and inflated commodity prices contributing to increased poverty and unemployment for women and their families.
The current situation in Yemen has posed a threat to the world’s food security. Reports estimate that up to 13 million people are facing food insecurity and 5 million of these are suffering from acute hunger. Moreover, the ongoing conflict and political turmoil have resulted in the displacement of over 3 million people. Malnutrition and related diseases are likely to increase if the current situation is not addressed.
International Response
The international community has offered assistance in attempting to bring an end to the conflict in Yemen. The most notable international actor, the United Nations, has sponsored a number of peace talks between the warring sides. The UN has also deployed personnel to monitor and encourage the implementation of certain ceasefires, as well as to help the negotiation process. In addition, the United Nations has released numerous statement calling for the end to the war.
The UN has also acted to provide humanitarian aid to those affected by the war, including setting up a relief fund and managing a distribution network for medical supplies in Yemen. It has also appealed to the international community, including countries in the region, to provide financial assistance in order to help alleviate the plight of the Yemeni people. Furthermore, the UN has sought to support the Yemeni government in rebuilding the country’s infrastructure and economy.
The United States and some of its European allies, such as the UK, have provided the Saudi-led coalition with material support, in the form of weapons and weapons components. In recent years, the US has provided some humanitarian aid to Yemen, with reports putting the figure at $828 million between 2015 and 2017. US involvement in the conflict has been heavily criticized by international human rights organizations, due to its role in facilitating Saudi Arabia’s campaign in Yemen.
Ongoing Conflict
The war in Yemen has been described as an “endless war”, as it shows no signs of resolving itself anytime soon. Despite periods of decreased violence, both sides have shown little interest in negotiating a lasting solution. In addition, the humanitarian crisis created by the war continues to deteriorate, with international organizations warning that the situation is only likely to get worse. The number of civilian casualties continues to increase: in August 2019, a Saudi-led coalition airstrike killed 23 civilians near the Yemeni port city of Hudaydah.
It is clear that the Saudi-led coalition forces are in control of the country, but the war is far from over. With both sides of the conflict unwilling to negotiate and no end in sight, the Yemeni Civil War is likely to continue to cause more suffering for Yemen’s population and the wider region for some time to come.
