UN says 233,000 killed in Yemen war in past six years

"The war has already caused an estimated 233,000 deaths, including 131,000 from indirect causes such as lack of food, health services, and infrastructure," the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a report carried by Anadolu Agency on Tuesday.

“This large number is unfortunate and unacceptable," the UN agency said.

According to the OCHA, Yemen has reached a critical point and there is an urgent need for a cease-fire.

Yemen has been beset by war since 2015 when a Saudi-led military coalition launched a devastating air campaign aimed at pushing the Houthi Ansarullah movement out of power in the capital Sana’a. 

Tens of thousands Yemeni civilians have been killed in the conflict, which has led to the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, as millions face the risk of starvation.

The war in addition to a protracted economic blockade imposed by Saudi Arabia fueled the crisis, making more than 24 million people in need of humanitarian assistance and protection, OCHA stressed.