Statement from Thomas Curbillon, MSF head of mission in Yemen

“Following bombing in the early hours of 21st February in Yemen’s Hajjah governorate, our team in the emergency room of Abs general hospital received a 12-year-old girl and a 50-year-old woman, both dead on arrival, and 10 wounded civilians, most of them women and children, including one pregnant woman. The bombing targeted the Al-Jar area of northern Abs district.

Since fighting escalated on the frontline near the city of Haradh earlier this month, and more recently in northern Abs district on 17 February, our teams in Abs general hospital have received significant numbers of people injured in the violence.

Over recent months, fighting has escalated in Hajjah governorate and near other frontlines across Yemen, raising urgent concerns for the safety of people already affected by years of conflict and displacement.

We are deeply concerned by the terrible impact of indiscriminate attacks, including bombing and shelling on civilians on both sides of the frontlines in Yemen. We call on all warring parties in Yemen to adhere to international humanitarian law and take all necessary measures to protect the lives of civilians.

Our teams in Abs general hospital will continue to provide lifesaving medical care, including treating patients with war wounds and trauma injuries, as well as providing maternal and child healthcare and other essential services.”