Yemen : Newly Arrived Head of WFP Suboffice in Taiz Killed

Yemeni police on Saturday arrested two suspects in the killing of a senior World Food Program official, authorities said. Ten others were also detained for their alleged involvement in the killing of Moayad Hameidi, who had recently arrived in the country to take the post of the head of the WFP in the southwestern province of Taiz.

Hameidi was an 18 year veteran of WFP and had previously served in Yemen, as well as in Sudan, Syria, and Iraq.

“The loss of our colleague is a profound tragedy for our organization and the humanitarian community,” said Richard Ragan, WFP Representative and Country Director in Yemen. “Any loss of life in humanitarian service is an unacceptable tragedy.”

Health minister Qasem Buhaibeh tweeted his condolences to the staffer’s family on Friday, calling for security forces to “arrest the criminals” responsible for the killing.

Taiz police did not provide further details. On Friday, two gunmen riding on a motorbike shot Hameidi in the town of Turbah. He died shortly after reaching a hospital. The attackers fled the scene.

Hameidi, a Jordanian, was the latest aid worker to be killed in Yemen, which has been embroiled in a civil war since 2014. He had just arrived in Taiz a few days ago to assume his role as head of the WFP office in the province.

"The loss of our colleague is a profound tragedy for our organization and the humanitarian community," said Richard Ragan, WFP's director in Yemen. "Any loss of life in humanitarian service is an unacceptable tragedy."

The WFP said Hameidi was a dedicated and experienced humanitarian worker who had been working in Yemen for many years. He was a valuable member of the WFP team and his death is a great loss.