Human Rights Watch has rejected the Trump administration’s possible designation of the Ansarullah group in Yemen as a “foreign terrorist organization.”
“This move will hinder humanitarian action and peace efforts in Yemen,” the organisation said in a statement published in its official website.
“This threatens the humanitarian aid that millions of Yemenis depend on for their livelihood,” HRW said.
More than 20 million people in Yemen, about two-thirds of the population, currently need food aid.
The US government’s designation of Ansarullah as a foreign terrorist organisation means prosecution of anyone in the United States or abroad suspected of providing support or resources in their areas of control, which would prevent many non-profit groups and humanitarian organisations from operating in areas controlled by the National Salvation Government, where most of the country’s population lives.
HRW also stressed that the US approach will create serious obstacles for external mediators involved in peace negotiations.
