Heavy fighting in Aden, Yemen occurred on 28 August between various armed groups, principally forces loyal to President Hadi opposing the southern separatist movement, resulting in multiple casualties. In the space of a few hours, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) teams admitted 51 wounded people to our hospital; 10 people were dead on arrival.
“It’s total chaos here. There was fighting in the city all day yesterday. Things appear to have calmed down a bit this morning, but we expect the hostilities to resume at any point,” says Caroline Seguin, MSF programme manager for Yemen, who is currently in Aden.
The MSF hospital currently has 80 patients admitted. A neighbourhood near the hospital was targeted in an international coalition airstrike in the early evening.
“This is the third huge influx of wounded people in three weeks,” says Seguin. “At this point, it’s difficult to establish which groups control which of Aden’s neighbourhoods. The airport and the area around it are closed and there’s a real risk of being trapped by the fighting.”
Since war broke out in March 2015, MSF facilities have been hit six times, five of them were by airstrikes launched by the coalition.
“Our teams are standing by to receive more wounded,” says Seguin. “Yet again we’ve informed the various armed groups and the coalition we’re in the hospital and where it’s located.”
The fighting in Aden is principally between forces loyal to President Hadi and troops from the southern separatist movement, the Southern Transition Council. Although allies in their combat against Ansar Allah in northern Yemen, during the past few weeks they have been fighting each other for control of governorates in the south.
Between 9 and 12 August, Aden had been transformed into a battlefield. MSF teams at the hospital admitted a continuous influx of wounded people and provided treatment to 119 patients in less than 24 hours.
Violent clashes have also erupted in Abyan and Shabwah governorates where we provide support to the health system with donations of drugs, supplies and equipment.