Yemen’s Taiz Faces Shutdown of Power, Water Services as Fuel Supplies Blocked

ADEN, Oct 16: Electricity and water stations, along with waste collection services, have shut down in Yemen’s Taiz province after fuel supplies were blocked, the province’s governor said Friday, warning of a worsening humanitarian crisis.

Governor Nabil Shamsan accused the Houthi group of preventing fuel from entering the city and maintaining a blockade that has disrupted essential services.

“Houthi militias are besieging Taiz and have closed all roads leading to it for the past 15 days,” Shamsan said in a statement posted on Facebook.

He said hospitals were also struggling to provide medical care because of shortages of medicines and medical supplies, raising concerns about the impact on patients requiring urgent treatment.

Shamsan warned that conditions could deteriorate further for around four million displaced people and residents of Taiz, as humanitarian organizations are unable to reach affected communities.

The reported shutdown of electricity, water and waste collection services adds to the difficulties facing a population already affected by years of conflict and displacement.

Yemen has been embroiled in a civil war since the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and several other provinces in 2014. A Saudi-led coalition intervened the following year in support of the internationally recognized government.

Tensions have escalated since July, with Taiz remaining a key front line as government forces and Houthi fighters engage in repeated clashes around the city.

Since October 5, government forces have been conducting a military offensive known as Dawn of Yemen, aimed at restoring state institutions in areas under Houthi control and retaking Sanaa.

The latest developments threaten to further strain access to basic services and humanitarian assistance in Taiz, where prolonged fighting, restricted movement and shortages of essential supplies continue to compound civilian suffering.