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Sanaa and northern Yemeni regions are under the control of the
Iran-aligned Houthi group, which has been at war since 2014 with
a Saudi-backed government that is based in the southern port
city of Aden.
The fighting has abated over the last two years, easing what the
United Nations has described as the world's worst humanitarian
crisis. However, millions still rely on direct humanitarian aid.
The WFP said the decision was taken in consultation with donors
and comes after a year of negotiations and no agreement had been
reached to reduce the number of people served to 6.5 million
from 9.5 million.
Food stocks in the areas under the Houthi administration are
almost depleted and resuming food assistance could take up to
four months due to disruption of the supply chain, the U.N.
agency said in a statement.
There was no immediate comment from Houthi officials.
The WFP had already reduced rations in Yemen since 2022 due to
critical funding gaps and global inflation that followed
Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The agency said it would continue other programs, including
nutrition and school feeding programs to limit the impact of the
decision.
General food distribution would continue with a focus on the
neediest in the areas controlled by the Saudi-backed government,
it said.
(Reporting by Aziz El Yaakoubi; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
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