TAIZ, Yemen, Aug. 21 (UPI) — Saudi-led airstrikes allegedly killed more than 65 civilians Friday in the province of Taiz in Yemen, Doctors Without Borders said.
The medical humanitarian organization said the strikes hit civilian homes in the province, in one case killing 17 people from the same family.
“Those who survived the bombings are searching through the rubble with their bare hands in the hope of finding survivors, as well as the bodies of victims of the attack,” a news release from Doctors Without Borders said.
Those injured in the airstrikes have reportedly had difficulties reaching nearby hospitals due to heavy fighting in the region. The humanitarian group said that of 20 hospitals once present in the province, seven are still able to accept patients and they are “totally overwhelmed.”
Meanwhile, medical teams have had a difficult time reaching hospital due to intense fighting. Twenty-three people injured in Friday’s attack were transported to a hospital supported by Doctors Without Borders, which is also known by its French name, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
“It is very frustrating that people are dying in the streets of Taiz and our teams are unable to reach injured people,” the news release said. “MSF is trying to provide first aid kits to nurses and doctors so they can treat injured people who are not able to reach the hospital, but we know it is not enough. The medical team inside the Al Rawdah hospital is doing what they can but the numbers of patients keep growing and essential treatments and materials, such as anesthetics and infusions are no longer available.”
Yemen’s civil war pits the Shia-affiliated Houthis, from the country’s north, against Hadi’s Sunni-dominated government. The Houthis, who accused the Hadi government of marginalization, captured most of the country earlier this year, forcing Hadi into exile in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi-led coalition then formed against the rebels, whom it accuses Iran of supporting militarily. Iran has denied the charge.
According to the United Nations, the conflict has killed at least 4,000 people since March, when the coalition began bombing the Houthis.
“If the warring parties continue to carry out heavy shelling and air strikes, more people will die,” Doctors Without Borders said in a statement. “We call on the warring parties to stop attacking civilian targets, especially hospitals, ambulances and densely populated neighborhoods and allow medical personnel and humanitarian organizations to provide assistance.”
Fred Lambert contributed to this report.
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