UN: Yemen war escalating, 8 million could lose aid in March

By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — U.N. officials say the seven-year war in Yemen has witnessed a dangerous escalation in the already dire situation in the Arab world’s poorest nation. They say January’s civilian casualties were the highest in at least three years and 8 million Yemenis likely will lose all humanitarian aid next month without urgent new funds. U.N. special envoy Hans Grundberg and U.N. humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths told the Security Council on Tuesday that the past month brought a multiplication of combat zones and the end of January saw nearly two-thirds of major U.N. aid programs scaled back or closed.