[20/02/2020 12:26]

ADEN-SABA
Yemen's Minister of Information said the Houthis are using millions of Yemenis in their areas of control as hostages to extort the world [to pay them.

Muammar al-Eryani was remarking on reports from the Associated Press that the rebel militia had blocked half of the United Nations' aid delivery programs in the country as a strong-arm tactic to force the agency to give them greater control over the massive humanitarian campaign, along with a cut of billions of dollars in foreign assistance.

He said the AP's report unveiled Wednesday was "shocking." "The Houthis demanded a 2% cut from the entire aid budget be given to them."

Al-Eryani said the report confirms what the Yemeni government always warned of; that the Houthi militia is exploiting the humanitarian situations for the cheap aim of gaining money to their pockets and to finance the militia's war effort.

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