Casualties Mount as Fight Over Yemen’s Marib Governorate Heats Up

GENEVA - U.N. officials are expressing concern about mounting civilian casualties as Houthi rebels and government forces battle for control of northern Yemen’s Marib Governorate.

Marib Governorate used to be a relative haven of tranquility throughout Yemen’s six-year long conflict. As such it has attracted hundreds of thousands of civilians displaced by the war. That calm was shattered when Houthi rebels, also known as Ansar Allah, tried to wrest control of the territory from government forces in February. Liz Throssell, spokeswoman for the U.N. human rights office, says the ongoing clashes are having a terrible impact on civilians and civilian buildings.  Over the past two weeks alone, she says dozens of people have been killed.  Ambulances, a police and fuel stations, a mosque, and other civilian facilities have been attacked by missiles and drones. “What we have seen in these recent attacks is not what I would consider an escalation—but, of course, all the civilian deaths that these have caused are absolutely tragic," Throssell said. "What it is, is that, of course, Ansar Allah are continuing to launch their missile strikes and drones into areas where the government is. And of course, there is a response from government forces.”