Bombings and Starvation: Focus Turns to Saudi’s War in Yemen

Written by
Caroline Alexander
Written by

Caroline Alexander

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(Bloomberg) --

Jamal Khashoggi's murder is refocusing international attention on Saudi Arabia's role in one of the world's worst humanitarian disasters: Yemen's civil war.

U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and defense chief James Mattis yesterday set a 30-day deadline for the Saudi-led coalition and the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels to meet for talks in Sweden to end the violence. Their statements are the strongest yet by U.S. officials against the war since the U.S.-backed Saudi air bombing campaign began four years ago.

The brutal killing of Khashoggi — an insider-turned government critic — at a Saudi consulate and the kingdom's shifting explanations have drawn attention to other policies of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman too.

The 33-year-old has led an unprecedented political and economic embargo against neighboring Qatar and engaged in diplomatic confrontations with countries such as Germany and Canada.

Many are skeptical of Washington's ability to force Yemen's Houthis into an agreement, but so far it's the best hope for what was already the Arab world's poorest country.

As many as 10,000 civilians have been killed and millions forced to flee their homes since 2015. Aid agencies are warning worse is to come: 13 million people are at imminent risk of starvation.

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--With assistance from Kathleen Hunter.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Michael Winfrey at mwinfrey@bloomberg.net, Ruth PollardKarl Maier