Aden: Yemeni rebels made new gains in battleground southern city Aden Sunday as a Saudi-led coalition trying to halt their advance faced growing calls for a humanitarian pause in air strikes.
The Red Cross has appealed for an immediate truce in the fighting to allow families to seek water, food and medical assistance, describing the situation as “dire”.
Russia presented a draft resolution to the UN Security Council on Saturday calling for a humanitarian pause in the Saudi-led air war against Al Houthi rebels, now in its 11th day.
The coalition kept up its nighttime raids against rebel positions and arms depots, particularly around the capital Sana’a and Sa’ada, the northern stronghold of the Iran-backed rebels.
In main southern city Aden, the rebels advanced into the central district of Mualla, capturing the provincial government headquarters, a local official said.
They bombarded residential areas, setting fire to several buildings and damaging others, witnesses said.
Residents reported casualties and said dozens of families had fled their homes in the port city, the heart of which sits on an extinct volcano jutting out into the sea.
Rebel forces advanced to near the port of Mualla, which is defended by militiamen of “popular committees” loyal to President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi, who has fled to neighbouring Saudi Arabia.
“Snipers, who took position on the roofs of provincial government buildings, targeted passersby and members of the popular committees,” pro-Hadi fighter Khaled Bashaea told AFP.
Hospitals treating the wounded are running short of medicines and the streets of Aden are strewn with bodies, the Red Cross said, calling for a 24-hour ceasefire.
“Our relief supplies and surgical personnel must be allowed to enter the country and safely reach the worst-affected places to provide help,” said Robert Mardin, head of Middle East operations for the International Committee of the Red Cross.
“Otherwise, put starkly, many more people will die. For the wounded, their chances of survival depend on action within hours, not days.”
The Saudi-led military coalition, which comprises four other Gulf states as well as Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Sudan, said aid would be allowed into the country when conditions are right.
“The humanitarian operation is part of our job, part of our responsibility,” spokesman Ahmad Assiri told reporters in Riyadh.
But “we don’t want to supply the militias,” he added.
Violence has escalated sharply in the deeply tribal country on the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula since the coalition launched Operation Decisive Storm against the rebels on March 26.
Hadi took refuge in Aden in February after Al Houthi seized power in the capital Sana’a, but left for Saudi Arabia last month as they advanced on the city.
The rebels seized his presidential palace in Aden on Thursday but, aided by air strikes and arms drops, Hadi loyalists drove the rebels out of the hilltop complex the following day.
At least 185 people are reported to have been killed in the fighting in Aden between supporters and opponents of the president.
There were also violent clashes Sunday in the rebel-held southern town of Loder, in Abyan province, where 24 people, including 21 Shiite militiamen, were reported dead.
Russia’s request to halt the air strikes came as Gulf countries were pushing for a separate UN resolution that would impose an arms embargo and sanctions on Al Houthis.
That draft text has come up against strong opposition from Russia, which proposed amendments to apply the arms embargo to the entire country and to limit sanctions.