In a significant development in the aftermath of a tragic incident, Yemeni police have apprehended two suspects believed to be involved in the killing of a senior official from the World Food Program (WFP). The arrest came on July 22, a day after the horrifying incident, and ten others have also been detained for their alleged roles in the crime.
The victim, Moayad Hameidi, a Jordanian national, had recently arrived in Yemen to assume his position as the head of the WFP office in the troubled southwestern province of Taiz. However, his life was cut short when two gunmen on a motorbike opened fire in the town of Turbah on July 21. Hameidi succumbed to his injuries shortly after being rushed to a hospital. The attackers managed to flee the scene, but swift action by the Yemeni authorities led to the arrest of the two suspects and other individuals linked to the killing.
Hameidi's death marks the latest tragedy in Yemen, a nation grappling with a devastating civil war that has raged on since 2014. The conflict has caused immense human suffering, and aid workers have not been spared from the violence. Richard Ragan, the director of WFP in Yemen, expressed the organization's grief over the loss.
"The loss of our colleague is a profound tragedy for our organization and the humanitarian community. Any loss of life in humanitarian service is an unacceptable tragedy," Ragan stated.
In response to the heinous act, Yemeni Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed assured WFP Chief Cindy McCain that the perpetrators would be held accountable for their actions. He labeled the crime a "terrorist" act and reaffirmed the government's commitment to providing a secure environment for aid organizations operating in the strife-torn country.
Yemen's civil war has entangled various factions, with Iran-backed Houthi rebels seizing control of the capital, Sanaa, in 2014, and the internationally recognized government going into exile. In 2015, a Saudi-led coalition intervened in support of the government, turning the conflict into a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The result has been catastrophic, causing one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises, claiming the lives of over 150,000 people, including combatants and civilians.
Taiz, the third-largest city in Yemen and the capital of the Taiz province has been under siege by Houthi forces since 2016, intensifying the country's already brutal conflict. The blockade has imposed severe restrictions on movement and hindered the flow of essential goods, medical supplies, and humanitarian aid to the city's vulnerable population.
The killing of an aid worker from the Oxfam charity in May 2021 and now the death of Moayad Hameidi highlight the dangers faced by humanitarian organizations and their staff working in Yemen.
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