The Yemeni government called on the international community and the United Nations to urgently put pressure on the Houthi militias to release hundreds of travelers detained in Afar under the pretext of what it called a medical quarantine without applying the lowest health standards.

The government said it had taken all necessary measures in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic and had examined those coming from abroad at the border crossings to ensure that they were free from the symptoms of this virus.

In a statement published by Yemen Official News Agency (SABA), the government said the Iranian-backed militia had prevented travelers from entering the provinces under its control and detained them in the open without shelter since last Monday.

"This has has resulted in the suffering of hundreds of travelers being held in the open without distinguishing between children, the elderly, and women, in an inhumane situation and not equipped with the most basic necessities for life," the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The statement also stressed that the tragic situation in which the citizens were placed posed a great danger to their lives, which reflects Houthis' violations of human dignity, rights and life.