News - Yemen: Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein Al-Ezzi considered that the continuation of the US-Saudi aggression's restrictions on Sana'a Airport during the de-escalation phase completely collide with peace, and turns any talk of peace into a mirage.

"Civilian airports remain open in times of peace or war. The continued siege of Sana'a Airport by the coalition is shameful for the international community," Al-Ezzi said in a statement on Wednesday.

He pointed out that the aggression seeks to impose a siege on the Yemeni People and prevent humanitarian aid from reaching them, stressing that these practices will not succeed in breaking the will of the Yemenis.

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs called on the international community to put more pressure on the aggression to lift the siege on Sana'a Airport and open it to civilian flights.

The US-Saudi aggression imposes a suffocating blockade on Yemen and closes ports and airports to increase the suffering of the Yemeni People and create deteriorating living and economic conditions. It is trying to barter the humanitarian aspect to obtain political and military gains at the expense of the Yemeni People.

The blockade has caused tremendous suffering for millions of Yemenis who are largely dependent on imports of food, fuel and medicines. It is one of the main reasons for the large-scale humanitarian crisis in the country that has pushed millions of Yemenis toward starvation and death due to lack of medical supplies, prompting the UN to call it the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

On 9 August 2016, the Saudi-led coalition imposed restrictions on Yemen’s airspace resulting in the closure of Sana’a Airport to commercial flights, trapping millions of Yemenis in a war zone and preventing the free movement of humanitarian and commercial goods from entering through this route. As a result, thousands of Yemenis with long-term health conditions such as cancer, kidney, liver and blood conditions have died while waiting for treatment unavailable in Yemen.

The closure of the airport has also led to an almost complete halt to commercial cargo such as medicine, medical supplies and equipment coming into the country. Coupled with restrictions on Hodeidah port, this has caused prices of some medicine to double, making it unaffordable for most of the population and further contributing to the decline of Yemen’s health system, already decimated by the aggression.

With the beginning of the truce last year, the aggression tried to evade its commitment to open Sana'a airport and make flights only to one destination, Jordan, and for a very limited number.

Sana'a confirmed more than once that the continued closure of Sana'a airport proves the lack of seriousness of theUS-Saudi aggression to bring peace to Yemen.