Two planeloads of medical aid arrive in Yemeni capital

Conflict in country has displaced 100,000 and resulted in deaths of at least 600 people

People load an aircraft with emergency aid from the International Committee of the Red Cross at Liege airport in Belgium prior to its departure to Yemen. Photograph: Sophie Kip/AFP/Getty Images.
People load an aircraft with emergency aid from the International Committee of the Red Cross at Liege airport in Belgium prior to its departure to Yemen. Photograph: Sophie Kip/AFP/Getty Images.

The first two planeloads of medical aid for Yemen landed in Sana'a on Friday after weeks of conflict which have displaced 100,000 people and created a potential humanitarian catastrophe.

Planes from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the United Nations Children's Fund, Unicef, arrived in the Yemeni capital carrying more than 30 tonnes of medical aid, officials form both organisations said.

The ICRC and the United Nations have been trying for days to get aid flights into the country, where warplanes from a Saudi-led coalition have carried out air strikes against Houthi fighters battling to take over the southern port city of Aden.

The fighting has killed more than 600 people.

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ICRC spokeswoman in Yemen, Marie Claire Feghali, said the Red Cross shipment included 16.4 tonnes of medicines, bandages, intravenous drips and surgical equipment.

Unicef spokesman Christophe Boulierac said the UN agency's plane had also landed after a week of delays. "Our plane has just landed in Sanaa from Djibouti, " he said.

Aden residents say electricity and water have been cut off in several districts, rubbish has been left uncollected in the streets and hospitals have been unable to cope.

Reuters