(ANS – Aden) – “Things in Aden city have become worse, with more intense fighting, more people getting killed and more destruction due to repeated bombing and shelling.” So says the last Salesian missionary still in Yemen, despite the war and the situation of extreme insecurity.

The fighting is severe close to the house of the Mission of Charity Sisters and they too are affected. A shell exploded near their house and luckily there was no serious damage apart from some broken window panes. In fact while they were having breakfast this morning (9 April) a place nearby was bombarded eleven times. Their whole building shook and they themselves were shivering. Lack of food, medicine, water and electricity, and a severe shortage of fuel, are now normal.

The local people are trying to escape by boat to Somalia. The fighting in Yemen has killed more than 650 people so far and wounded more than 2200. Hundreds of thousands of people are displaced and there is much poverty and misery. Just yesterday a boat with medical supplies managed to reach Aden. Otherwise, the Red Cross and other relief agencies have not been given permission to come.

In Aden there are different groups fighting each other. A few days back nearly 300 Al Qaeda members were forcefully released from the prison in Mukalla. There is a fear that these, along with ISIS, may come to Aden to contribute their own share of havoc. There is a great fear of that danger.

In Sana also the Sisters say that the situation is really bad. There are hardly any vehicles on the road due to a severe shortage of petrol and diesel. The air raids still continue throughout the night and sometimes even during the day. By this time practically all our parishioners have already left and have arrived back safely in their own countries. Now, only very few are left in each city. They have chosen to remain for a variety of reasons.

Here in Taiz, the situation is not so bad. There is bombing at night in certain areas but we can still move about freely with some caution. Here the worst problem is the severe shortage of petrol and diesel. At every petrol station you can see vehicles lined up for more than a kilometre. Of all the cities, Hodeidah is the one least affected although the shortage of fuel is all over the country.

The Mission of Charity Sisters in all these four centres are continuing to look after their patients. Whatever happens they will not abandon their patients. I am remaining here in Taiz. Last Monday I went to Hodeidah by bus to celebrate Mass for the Sisters there as they had not had Mass for some time. I came back just today. There was no problem travelling up and down. When the situation improves and I am able to travel, I will go to Sana and Aden to offer Mass for the Sisters and others. As of now I am not able to go to Aden and Sana.

Published 10/04/2015