USAID warns humanitarian crisis in Yemen being 'overlooked,' pledges additional $6.5M in aid

"The U.S. government aid agency on Tuesday warned that a humanitarian crisis in conflict-ridden Yemen was being 'overlooked' despite escalating to levels seen in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel," Agence France-Presse reports. "Five million people need urgent aid and five million more are facing food insecurity out of a population of 25 million people, [Nancy Lindborg, a USAID assistant administrator, told AFP in Rome after a visit to the country], adding that the crisis had been 'exacerbated' by conflict and a political transition," AFP writes.

"She said the U.S. would be providing an additional $6.5 million (5.2 million euros) in humanitarian aid to Yemen, bringing its total forecast aid budget for this year to $118 million from $115 million last year," the news service notes (6/5). "This assistance includes protection, water and sanitation, emergency food aid, basic health services, and medical and other relief supplies to help over 550,000 internally displaced persons, over 215,000 refugees and migrants from the Horn of Africa, conflict victims, and other vulnerable populations," according to a USAID press release (6/4).