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UN refugee agency distribute food aid to thousands of refugees in Yemen

UN refugee agency distribute food aid to thousands of refugees in Yemen

A Somali refugee holds some of the aid he received at Kharaz camp in Yemen's Lahaj region
The United Nations has shipped much needed food supplies to thousands of mainly Somali refugees in Yemen as they mark the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, when Muslims fast during daylight hours.

Monday’s delivery of pasta, sugar and dates reached some 11,000 refugees sheltering in the makeshift Kharaz camp, which is located about 150 kilometres west of Aden, as well as around 800 needy Yemeni families in nearby villages.

Leila Nassif, head of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Aden, said the donation by the Red Crescent and a federation headed by United Arab Emirates President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan was further proof “of the extreme generosity of Muslims and Muslim countries towards people in need.”

Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Middle East, hosts some 140,000 refugees and grants refugee status to all Somalis entering the country. UNHCR and its partners meet the basic needs of refugees in the Kharaz camp, including food, shelter, medical care, water and sanitation, and education.

“Additional funds would allow us to expand income-generation activities in the camp, invest in small-scale agricultural projects and offer more opportunities for self reliance,” said Ms. Nassif.

In a separate development, the UN, the Yemeni Government and several humanitarian organizations launched an urgent appeal yesterday for $23.5 million to provide food and shelter to an estimated 150,000 people who have been displaced by recent fighting in the north of the country.