Deadly clashes shake Yemen''s Aden as UN declares humanitarian emergency

Aden, July 2

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Fighting raged today in Yemen's battleground southern city Aden, a day after the United Nations declared its highest level humanitarian emergency in the war-torn country.

The new clashes left seven rebels and five pro-government fighters dead, a military official said.

It comes after rebel rocket fire on a residential district of Aden killed 31 civilians yesterday and left more than 100 others wounded, according to a medical official.

Rebel shelling on a western district of Aden early today damaged several homes and left casualties, residents said.

Meanwhile, a port near the Aden oil refinery came under rebel artillery shelling for a fifth consecutive day and a blaze continued in the area, said Aden Refinery Company spokesman Naser al-Shayef.

In the adjacent Lahj province and nearby Shabwa, Saudi-led coalition warplanes carried out several overnight strikes against rebel positions, residents said.

The coalition has been bombing the Iran-backed Huthi rebels since March 26 in support of Yemen's President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, who fled to Saudi Arabia.

The United Nations yesterday declared Yemen a level-three emergency, the highest on its scale, as aid chief Stephen O'Brien held talks to discuss the crisis in the impoverished Arabian Peninsula country.

More than 21.1 million people - over 80 per cent of Yemen's population - are in need of aid, with 13 million facing food shortages. — AFP