Yemen 5-Year War Death Toll at 100 000, Attacks on Farmers Created Famine

Since 2015, the Saudi and UAE joint coalition to attack Yemen has resulted in 100,00 deaths. Data collected by Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project (ACLED) has come up with these numbers, of which 12,000 killed are from direct attacks on civilians.

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2019 has been a bloody year so far, with 20,000 killed, second deadliest after 2018 with over 30,000 killed. This year about 1,100 lives lost are from civilians. Air strikes have decline since 2015, but ground engagements have increased. The numbers don't include those who died from starvation or illness.

The reason for the massive deaths from starvation are the attacks on farmers.

Once known as the "Green Yemen" in the medieval ages for its widely terraces landscape, this abundant farm land has been obliterated by deliberate attacks from the Saudi's and UAE.

One example is of one of the richest farmers in northwestern Yemen, Farhan Mohammed. Saudi airstrikes targeted his 50 hectares used to grow corn, pomegranates and apples. The attacks were aimed to burn crops and render the soil toxic, preventing further growth. Land across the country has been bombarded, making much land too toxic to use.

The hit of farmers and sanctions has impoverished the nation further. In 2014, the poverty was estimated to be at 47%, which is projected to jump to 75% by the end of 2019. A UN report says Yemen will become the poorest nation in the world if this continues:

"If fighting continues through 2022, Yemen will rank the poorest country in the world, with 79 percent of the population living under the poverty line and 65 percent classified as extremely poor."

How is the allowed to continue? US support. Saudi Arabia has total diplomatic protection form the US, and all the military and technological support to keep carrying out the attacks. Without the American contractors, targeting software, training, weapons, and technicians, these attacks would not be possible.

The US is not a fighter or defender of freedom and the innocent. When the US is not invading lands for foreign policy, regime change or resource extraction, it's achieving those ends by helping others go to war.

References:

• Yemen war death toll hits 100,000
• Five Years On, Saudi Attacks on Yemen’s Farmers Are Pushing the Whole Country into Famine