UN: At least 3,774 children killed in Yemen’s civil war

CAIRO (AP) — The United Nations said Thursday that at least 3,774 children have been killed in Yemen’s civil war between March 2015 and September 2022.

According to the latest statistics published by the United Nations Children’s Fund, a further 7,245 children have been maimed in the conflict, which has pitted Iran-backed Houthi rebels against a Saudi Arabian-led coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government for the past eight years.

The conflict began in 2014 after Houthi rebels came down from the mountains and took control of the capital, Sanaa, and much of the country’s north, forcing Yemen’s government into exile. The Saudi-led coalition then entered the war in March 2015, backed by the U.S. and the United Arab Emirates

According to UNICEF, some 3,904 boys were recruited as child soldiers from March 2015 to September 2022. The U.N. agency also estimated that around 2.2 million children in Yemen are ‘’acutely malnourished.’’

“If the children of Yemen are to have any chance of a decent future, then the parties to the conflict, the international community and all those with influence must ensure they are protected and supported,” said Catherine Russell, UNICEF’s executive director.

The agency said that all the figures it has produced are likely much higher.

The organization called for an urgent renewal of the cease-fire agreement, which lasted from April until the beginning of October and saw a lull in front-line fighting.

A deal to extend the truce fell through in the hours before its deadline on Oct. 2. The United States and the U.N. accused the Houthis of making last-minute demands, while the rebel force blamed their withdrawal on the U.N.' s unwillingness to provide written guarantees for several of its key demands.

Houthi rebels have openly...