Aden Authorities' Failure to Provide Electricity and Water Continues
The Yemeni government and the Southern Transitional Council (STC) are failing to fulfill Aden residents' right to electricity and water, Human Rights Watch said today. Since the start of the conflict in Yemen, the residents of Aden have experienced frequent shutoffs of water and electricity. The rights organization said these shutoffs negatively affect residents' rights to health, education, and other rights essential for an adequate standard of living, including adequate housing, safe and sufficient water, and adequate sanitation. In the nine years since the conflict began, the availability and accessibility of safe water and sufficient electricity have worsened in the city. "Since 2015, we have been suffering, and it's only getting worse," one Aden resident told Human Rights Watch. Several people interviewed said that before the war began in 2014, Aden residents had a comprehensive, regular, and affordable supply of electricity and water. Now, many residents only get water from the public network once every two or three days, or not at all.
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman discussed with the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Chairman, Rashad al-Alimi, the latest developments and ways to enhance and support efforts to restore peace in Yemen during a meeting in Riyadh. The two sides discussed cooperation and coordination regarding the road map between the Yemeni parties to reach a comprehensive political solution to end the Yemeni crisis under UN supervision.Yemen's state-owned Saba news agency said that Alimi reviewed the latest developments in the Yemeni situation and resuming the peaceful path. The agency also conveyed the Saudi Defense Minister's confirmation of Riyadh's commitment to support the Council and encourage the Yemeni parties to reach a comprehensive and sustainable political solution under UN supervision, achieving security, peace, stability, and development in Yemen.
An American warship shot down a drone Wednesday that was heading toward it from Yemen, the US military."On November 15th and while transiting the international waters of the Red Sea, the crew of the USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116) engaged a drone that originated from Yemen and was heading in the direction of the ship," the US Defense Department said in a statement, referring to a guided missile destroyer. The incident comes after the US Navy shot down multiple missiles and drones last month that it said were fired by the Houthis, who seized the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, in 2014 and control much of the country.
The second Arabian Gulf Shooting military exercise concluded on Thursday in the northern Hafr Al-Batin region of Saudi Arabia, Saudi media reported. The mixed land-based training maneuvers involved troops from the Royal Saudi Land Forces, Kuwait Land Forces and US Task Force Spartan. Brig. Gen. Mohammed Al-Badrani, the training commander, said the event included practical and field exercises and lectures designed to improve practical and tactical cooperation between the forces and enhance the implementation of joint land operations.
On Thursday, the United Nations human rights chief said widespread outbreaks of disease and hunger seemed "inevitable" in Gaza after weeks of Israeli assault. Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the depletion of fuel would have a "catastrophic" impact across Gaza. It would lead to the collapse of sewage systems and health care and end the scarce humanitarian aid being supplied. He also said massive outbreaks of infectious disease and hunger seem inevitable.