THE Red Cross appealed to the world yesterday to “wake up” to the suffering in Yemen amid the ongoing civil war.

International Committee of the Red Cross president Peter Maurer concluded a three-day visit to the country on Monday, during which he had met senior officials.

Mr Maurer said he was appalled by the suffering he had seen.

“The humanitarian situation is nothing short of catastrophic,” he said.

“Every family in Yemen has been affected by this conflict.

“The people are facing immense hardship and it is getting worse by the day. The world needs to wake up to what is going on.

“The compounded effects of intense fighting and import restrictions are having a dramatic impact on healthcare.”

It is estimated that, since March, nearly 4,000 people have been killed and over 19,000 injured.

Around 1.3 million Yemenis have been forced to flee their homes.