JEDDAH: Yemeni government officials are working with local authorities and humanitarian organizations to open a road through one of the main entrances to the city of Taiz to deliver urgently needed relief supplies to the province, which is under siege by Houthi militias.
The operation is expected to take place in the coming days.
Nayef al-Bakri, Yemen’s Minister of Youth and Sports and head of the Committee for Popular Mobilization and Government Support for the Armed Forces, told Asharq Al-Awsat in a telephone interview that the committee was making every effort, in coordination with international partners, to assist residents trapped in Taiz.
He said a relief convoy being prepared would carry fuel, medicines and other essential supplies, while additional convoys would be dispatched to provinces and areas affected by Houthi attacks.
Bakri said what troubled the militias most was the exceptional resilience and loyalty to their country demonstrated by the people of Taiz.
He praised the city’s men, young people and women for their sacrifices in the face of the siege and Houthi attacks, saying the world had witnessed powerful images of women in Taiz, including one carrying the body of her son killed in the fighting and another purchasing weapons for the resistance.
He said these images reflected the city’s unwavering loyalty and determination to defend religion and country.
Asked how the aid would reach Taiz, Bakri said the committee was in constant contact with the provincial governor and was exploring routes and access points to deliver available supplies, including fuel, medicines and other humanitarian necessities.
He said discussions were also underway with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) about its potential role in facilitating the delivery of aid, adding that efforts to secure access were continuing.
Bakri said Hadramout province would send aid donated by its residents to Taiz. The committee had also sent letters to the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), requesting additional assistance for the province.
He noted that the center was already providing extensive programs and continued support across Yemen’s provinces.
Bakri said Yemen was witnessing a broad community mobilization to support people affected by the war, particularly as more than 200,000 families had been displaced.
He praised the solidarity shown among Yemenis across different provinces in sheltering displaced families and meeting their needs.
He said the government and local authorities were fulfilling their responsibilities toward displaced families alongside community-led initiatives and humanitarian efforts undertaken by the committee.
On assistance to other provinces, Bakri said the committee, in cooperation with local authorities in Aden, had carried out a relief campaign for residents of Al-Subaiha, Al-Mudaraba and Ras al-Ara, particularly families whose areas had come under missile fire and Houthi attacks.
He said a relief convoy had been dispatched two days earlier, while preparations were underway for additional convoys in coordination with the governor of Lahj to support people affected in Al-Mudaraba district and surrounding areas.
Bakri said relief efforts also extended to Al-Dhale province, where the committee was coordinating with the governor to provide assistance to families affected by the fighting in Murais, Qataba and frontline areas.
He said the committee’s work had both community and humanitarian dimensions, focusing on supporting families and provinces suffering from the consequences of the war and Houthi attacks.
“The committee is expanding its relief operations in the coming days to include districts along the western coast, particularly Mawza, Al-Waziya and Mokha, which are experiencing large waves of displacement as a result of military operations and Houthi attacks,” Bakri said.
He added that the assistance would also reach displaced people’s camps in Aden and Lahj provinces, in coordination with international organizations and government agencies responsible for displaced populations.
“In Shabwa province, the committee is arranging relief convoys to support districts witnessing military confrontations,” Bakri said.
He said preparations were also underway to organize and dispatch a convoy from Al-Mahra province to Al-Jawf, while several provinces continued providing support to the battlefronts in Marib.
Bakri stressed that Yemenis from all walks of life, including displaced people, were participating in the “Dawn of Yemen” battle and joining various battlefronts.
Turning to Saudi support, Bakri said the Kingdom played an important role in assisting Yemen as a whole.
He praised the efforts of the joint forces and KSrelief in delivering aid to people affected by the conflict.
He also emphasized the importance of assistance delivered to Aden with the support of the joint forces and KSrelief, saying it had helped families affected by the fighting and eased the consequences of the war.