Human Rights Watch makes Yemeni appeal

NEW YORK, Oct. 6 (UPI) -- Human Rights Watch called on the Yemeni government to open humanitarian aid corridors in order to reach the thousands of families displaced by conflict.

The Yemeni military launched a scorched-earth campaign against al-Houthi rebels in the northern provinces in early August. The United Nations and international aid agencies warned that conflict has created a humanitarian disaster, displacing thousands of families.

Human Rights Watch in an Oct. 1 letter to John Holmes, the U.N. emergency relief coordinator, called for better access to civilians trapped or otherwise affected by the conflict.

"Fighting and government restrictions means tens of thousands of civilians in northern Yemen are cut off from help that they desperately need," said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "The government needs to help aid agencies reach civilians, not throw up obstacles in their way."

The United Nations estimated there are as many as 150,000 people displaced by the conflict, and Human Rights Watch says aid agencies are unable to reach the vast majority of those.

"Neither the government nor the rebels have responded to UN calls to open humanitarian corridors," said Human Rights Watch.

The rights group calls on the government in Yemen and rebel fighters to protect civilians in line with international humanitarian and human rights law.