Constant detention of oil ships portends humanitarian catastrophe in Yemen: Oil Minister

Tanks of the Yemeni Petroleum Company, its agents and fuel stations are now free of oil derivatives, which foreshadows a humanitarian catastrophe if the American Saudi-led aggression coalition continues to hold the oil ships, the  Minister of Oil and Minerals Ahmed Daress on Thursday said.

Daress , during his meeting with a number of cadres and leaders of the official media, explained that the detention of fuel ships inflicts Yemen large burdens and fines of up to 20 thousand dollars for each ship per day.

He pointed to the arbitrary practices of the aggression coalition countries in continuing the detention of oil ships despite obtaining official permits from the United Nations to enter the port of Hodeidah, expressing regret for the apparent complicity of the United Nations and the defective international silence on those practices.

The Minister held the United Nations and the UN Security Council fully responsible for the repercussions of the continued detention of oil derivatives ships and the occurrence of a humanitarian catastrophe threatening the cessation of all vital sectors in Yemen, especially the health sector.

The detention of oil ships is a collective punishment for the Yemeni people aimed at doubling their suffering in getting medicine, food, water, health and all the requirements of life, Daress said, calling on the media to expose the practices and crimes of the aggression coalition in Yemen and the truth of the United Nations role.

The Minister of Oil also held the aggression countries and the United Nations responsible for the consequences of any environment disaster, in the event of a leakage from Safer floating tanker or targeting it by the aggression coalition.

Y.A