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Sanaa Airport Closure Led to Death of Tens of Thousands of Civilians

Yemeni Health Ministry said that the closure of Sanaa airport has led to the death of more than 42,000 people throughout three years.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Yemeni ministry said more than 42,000 sick Yemenis have died because they were in need to travel abroad the Arab impoverished country, which has been for more than four years under brutal aggression and blockade imposed by Saudi-led coalition.

The blockade on Sanaa airport led to severe shortage of medicine and medical supplies in Yemen, the ministry added.

It said, meanwhile, that more than 350,000 Yemenis are in desperate need today to receive medical treatment abroad the country.

Earlier on Monday, aid groups have slammed the Saudi-led coalition for its closure of the airport in Yemen’s capital, saying the closure has amounted to a “death sentence” for many sick Yemenis.

The Norwegian Refugee Council and CARE appealed late Monday on Yemen’s warring parties to come to an agreement to reopen the airport for commercial flights to “alleviate humanitarian suffering caused by the closure.”

Yemen has been since March 2015 under brutal aggression by Saudi-led Coalition, in a bid to restore control to fugitive Hadi who is Riyadh’s ally.

Hundreds of thousands of Yemenis have been killed or injured in the strikes launched by the coalition, with the vast majority of them are civilians.

The coalition, which includes in addition to Saudi Arabia and UAE: Bahrain, Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Sudan and Kuwait, has been also imposing a harsh blockade against Yemenis.

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