News - Yemen: Yemen's Ministry of Transport condemned the mercenaries of the US-Saudi aggression for suspending flights between Sana'a International Airport and Queen Alia Airport in Jordan since the beginning of June.

In a statement, the ministry called this suspension a deliberate criminal act, devoid of all religious, humanitarian, national values, laws, treaties, charters, and international agreements.

The statement emphasized that the suspension of flights causes great suffering for Yemeni citizens, especially patients with chronic and malignant diseases who are abroad for treatment.

The ministry also viewed the suspension of flights as a pressure tactic and a bargaining chip to serve the American, British, and Israeli aggression against the homeland, due to Yemen’s honorable and supportive stance towards the Palestinian cause in general and Gaza in particular.

The ministry urged Yemenia Airways to swiftly schedule flights from Sana'a to Amman and other destinations, and to operate neutrally without discrimination or using the company for political pressure.

The ministry held Yemenia Airways responsible for the suspension of flights from Sana'a Airport, which led to delays at Queen Alia Airport in Jordan and caused humanitarian and health suffering, as well as financial and psychological burdens due to the suspension of Sana'a-Amman-Sana'a flights.

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.