Yemen's government declares Taiz 'a disaster area'

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Yemen's government declares Taiz 'a disaster area'

Al Jazeera and agencies, 25 Aug 2015

URL: http://goo.gl/sYCVyB
Yemen's exiled government has declared Taiz a "disaster area" and urged the international community and the UN Security Council to intervene to stop the bloodshed.

"The government will present a letter to the Security Council in New York and the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva," Human Rights Minister Ezzeldin al-Asbahi said in a statement reported by a Yemeni news agency.

The city, Yemen's third largest, has since April been ravaged by fighting between Houthi rebels on one side and government loyalists backed by Saudi-led air strikes on the other.

Rockets fired by the Houthi rebels killed at least 14 civilians on Monday, residents said, as fighting intensified for control of the city.

The coalition launched air raids on military bases and Houthi positions during the fighting, residents said, but no casualties were reported.