Aid group: Yemen fighting killed 575 civilians since August

SANAA, Yemen – An international aid organization says some 575 Yemenis have been killed in fighting between a Saudi-led coalition and the Shiite rebels in Yemen between Aug. 1 and Oct. 15.

Friday’s statement by United Kingdom-based OXFAM says fighting has killed about one civilian every three hours since August and reported suspected cholera cases surpassed 1.1 million over the past 18 months, including over 2,000 fatal cases.

The group reiterated its calls for the U.S., UK and other governments to halt arms supplies to Saudi Arabia, which has led a coalition into Yemen more than 3 1/2 years ago to fight the Iran-aligned rebels, known as Houthis, and reinstate an internationally recognized government.

The war has exacerbated Yemen’s economic crisis and spawned what the U.N. says is the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.