Houthi Siege Triples Taiz Water Delivery Rates
Aid workers report that restricted access to wells and fuel shortages have driven the cost of drinking water up by 75 percent in Yemen's third-largest city.
By Pavel Bell ·
Residents of Taiz are surviving on ten liters of water every four days. The Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have tightened their grip on the city, restricting access to wells and blocking water trucks. This squeeze has pushed the cost of bottled water up by as much as 75 percent compared to just weeks ago.
The conflict began in 2014 when the Houthis seized much of northern Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa. They forced the internationally recognized government into exile. Taiz has remained a focal point of fighting since then. Aging infrastructure, population growth, and frequent droughts had already depleted groundwater in the region. Residents relied on water delivered by truck until recent weeks changed that dynamic.
The situation deteriorated in August as Yemen became a widening front in the Iran war. The Houthis captured the port city of Mokha, located about 130 kilometers from Taiz. This move gave them control over vital Red Sea shipping routes. Following that advance, the rebels took more land and roads around Taiz. This loss of territory cut off residents from nearby wells and reduced outside deliveries.
Truckers who still make the dangerous trip have tripled their rates. The city's water utility and desalination plants operate well below capacity because they are short on fuel. Hadil al-Shahid, a hair salon owner, said her family used to consume about 10 liters of bottled water a day for drinking and cooking. They now stretch that amount to last four days. She said they stopped drinking coffee and tea to save water. Some households are now buying water on credit.
The siege extends beyond water. Grocery shortages have driven food prices up, with flour and rice costing about 50 percent more than in the summer. Scarce fuel makes it harder to keep hospitals and sanitation services running. Cooking gas prices have more than quadrupled, according to Hani Bafaqih of the aid group CARE. Some families burn wood, charcoal, or cardboard to cook. Fuel shortages have also hampered community kitchens and shut down waste collection.
Taiz province has absorbed roughly 124,000 displaced people since August, according to United Nations migration experts. Jens Laerke, a spokesperson for a UN emergency aid division, said some displaced families live in makeshift shelters or tents and survive on one meal a day. He warned that disease, including cholera, becomes more likely as thirsty families use unprotected wells. Amnesty International has urged the Houthis to open roads into the city immediately, warning that Taiz is being pushed to the brink of a severe humanitarian disaster.
The government still holds the center of Taiz, but the siege complicates resupplying its forces. Analysts say controlling Taiz is key if the Houthis want to push south toward Aden and Lahj. Ahmed Nagi of the International Crisis Group said any attempt to seize even parts of the city would likely mean a prolonged and costly battle. Three Houthi officials, speaking anonymously, said the group controls about 80 percent of the surrounding countryside and several neighborhoods inside the city. Foreign Minister Afrah al-Zouba has acknowledged the rebels' tightening grip.
Civilians face daily danger. Houthi missiles hit a residential area earlier this week, killing two teenage girls. Ahmed Abdel Gaber, who is displaced with nine relatives, said he hears explosions daily from fighting about 5 kilometers away. His family will not return to their mountain village for safety reasons. Al-Shahid cannot afford to leave. She said staying in their home is inevitable, whether it be a matter of life or death.
Source: NPR
