Unicef Warns 2.2 Million Yemeni Children Face Acute Malnutrition Amid Resurgent Civil War

Ongoing fighting in Yemen has left millions of children hungry, with the UN children's agency warning on Friday that soaring malnutrition rates are expected amid the turmoil of the civil war.

According to Unicef, approximately 2.2 million children under the age of five are forecast to suffer from acute malnutrition before the end of the year. This alarming figure includes more than 500,000 cases of severe acute malnutrition, which represents the deadliest form of the condition.

“We're very concerned about a very visible increase in acute malnutrition among children,” Akhil Iyer, a Unicef representative in Yemen, stated to reporters from Aden on Friday. He added that recent screenings by Unicef mobile nutrition teams revealed that more than one in four of nearly 2,900 children examined were acutely malnourished, with over 200 suffering from severe acute malnutrition.

The conflict involving Yemeni government forces and the Iran-backed Houthis escalated into full-scale fighting several weeks ago after largely remaining frozen following a 2022 truce. Violence has erupted along former front lines, particularly near the south-western city of Taiz, as the Houthis advanced south along the Red Sea coast.

This renewed violence has triggered a severe humanitarian crisis, resulting in the displacement of over 133,000 people, with some individuals fleeing across the Red Sea to Africa. Mr Iyer noted that fleeing families are facing severe disruptions in accessing necessary health care and nutrition while searching for food and safety. He highlighted the plight of a four-year-old boy battling severe acute malnutrition whose family recently escaped fighting in Mokha.

Unicef reported that at least 15 children have been killed and 14 injured since September 3, while three additional children remain missing. Furthermore, the fighting has disrupted education, forcing 243 schools to shut down or suspend classes and impacting more than 137,000 students.

In response to the crisis, Unicef is expanding emergency assistance to support up to 231,000 people through mobile health and nutrition teams, water services, and child protection programmes. The agency has also called on all involved parties to protect civilians and ensure safe, unhindered humanitarian access.