Houthis plunder world aid sent Yemeni poor

Ali Ragab

Iran-backed Houthi militias plunder humanitarian aid sent to Yemen and sell it on the black market to keep Yemenis suffering, claiming that siege has exasperated the situation there. Houthis have plundered the humanitarian aid for a long time. Some international reports revealed how Houthis steal the aid using various suspicious means.

Houthis make up fake names in aid lists and confiscate trucks of aid, and sell it on the black market.

Yemen Monitor newspaper reported that Houthis used “fake lists” of names to get the aid. Some 934 names were listed for fake people in Sana’a. The listed were prepared by district and alley chiefs and supervisors.

The Houthi militias made a fortune from these fake lists. Minister of Local Administration, the Head of the Supreme Relief Committee, Abdulraqeeb Fath said large quantities of humanitarian aid were found in the city of Heis, Hodeidah Governorate, in February.

Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper said the Yemeni army found 2,000 food baskets, seized by a Houthi top official named Mohamed Halicy.

In December 2016, Minister Abdulraqeeb Fath the Houthi militias had seized 64 vehicles carrying humanitarian aid in different areas.

Between 2015 and 2018, the Houthi militias seized 65 ships full of humanitarian aid, according to the Supreme Relief Committee.

The Supreme Relief Committee said the Houthi militias also seized 13,815 food baskets.

Analysts say Houthis get mammoth funds from dealing in humanitarian aid.

“The Houthi militias have committed many crimes. However, the plundering and seizing of humanitarian aid is the most horrendous  as they bereave the poor. That’s why so many Yemenis who die of poverty are more than those who get killed in the war,” Yemeni author Suheir al-Samman, told THE REFERENCE.