Aden, 17 Shawwal,1439 AH, 01 July,2018 , SPA -- A Yemeni government official revealed that the crimes and violations committed by Houthi militias backed by Iran against the staff of the port of Hodeidah have caused the death of five of them, the last one, Mansur Salam Al-Hakimi, who died on Saturday, after the militias stopped the health insurance of the Port's staff. Deputy Minister of Transport Nasser Sharif said that the coup militias and since their takeover of the port of Hodeidah three years ago have practiced many abuses against the staff and of the port including the exclusion of many of them and replacing them with members of its elements who lack the basics of navigational works. He pointed out in a statement broadcast by the Yemeni official news agency, that the aim of this measure was to harness the port and its capabilities for military actions and arms smuggling in a flagrant violation of Security Council resolutions and port functions as a port of humanitarian aid and commercial goods. The Yemeni official added that the militias have taken the port's revenues and used them to kill and torture innocent citizens in the city of Hodeidah and areas under their control. The Deputy Minister of Transport emphasized that the continued control of the city of Hodeidah and the port under the control of the Houthi militias exacerbate the humanitarian crisis and increase the suffering of Yemenis, especially after it was proven their implications in obstructing the supply of trade and relief for Yemenis, stressing at the same time the necessity and the importance of restoring the port from the control of the coup militias. -- SPA 12:46 LOCAL TIME 09:46 GMT 0006 www.spa.gov.sa/w710526