India, Oct. 21 -- The United Nations Children’s Fund, through remarks by UNICEF Country Representative in Yemen Akhil Iyer at a press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva on Oct. 20, 2026, said escalating fighting and fuel shortages in Taiz, Yemen, are threatening UNICEF water systems serving an estimated three million people, including at least 1.6 million children.
Displacement and access constraints
UNICEF said Taiz, described as one of Yemen’s most water-scarce areas, is facing renewed pressure on essential services for displaced families.
Since the latest escalation in September, an estimated 120,000 people have been displaced to Taiz, UNICEF said, adding that this figure represents more than half of all those newly uprooted...