A/HRC/36/33 example, only 20 to 30 per cent of the country’s estimated monthly fuel needs had been met.31 As a result of such restrictions, as well as the danger of sailing in an active conflict zone, many commercial shipping companies were no longer willing to attempt shipments to Al-Hudaydah. Coupled with coalition airstrikes that significantly damaged Al-Hudaydah port, the effects of the naval blockade have been paralysing for the importation of essential supplies into the country. 45. Since March 2015, coalition restrictions on air access have also crippled the country, particularly in the north where the population is under Houthi/Saleh control. Sana’a international airport has remained closed to commercial aviation since 9 August 2016, when the Government of Yemen and the coalition forces closed the surrounding airspace. 32 The closure has prevented thousands of Yemenis from seeking medical care abroad, while the health-care system in Yemen has disintegrated. The aerial blockade has also further limited cargo importation into the country and severely restricted the ability of civilians to enter and leave those areas. 46. All parties to the conflict must do their utmost to ensure the respect and protection of the civilian population at all times and in all circumstances. In particular, the parties must allow and facilitate “rapid and unimpeded” passage of humanitarian relief, including food and other items essential to the survival of the civilian population. 33 They must do all they can to facilitate or ensure that civilians had access to essential humanitarian supplies and were able to leave areas affected by conflict in safety, dignity and in full compliance with humanitarian standards. In addition, the parties must also facilitate or ensure that humanitarian organizations, including the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross/Red Crescent, had access to civilians.34 Forced displacement 47. Forced displacement of civilians was exploited as a tactic in the conflict in violation of international humanitarian law. In the past year, OHCHR verified two cases of entire villages that had been forcibly displaced by Houthi/Saleh forces. 48. On 1 November 2016, following weeks of harassment, movement restrictions and arrests, 175 families were forced to leave Al-Dabah Al-Rabe’ei village, in Taizz Governorate, after the Houthis threatened by loudspeaker that, if the villagers did not leave within 24 hours, all the men would be detained. On 18 February 2017, again following weeks of harassment and movement restrictions, two villagers were killed by sniper-fire while trying to leave Tabaysha’a village, in Taizz Governorate. The following day, armed Houthi/Saleh forces entered the village, destroyed homes and seized vehicles, while fighters positioned on the mountains overlooking the village opened fire on the residential areas. As a result of the violence, all the villagers — at least 250 families — fled the village waving white banners. Specially protected persons and objects 49. Despite special protection afforded under international humanitarian law, 35 medical and education facilities and personnel, as well as cultural and religious sites, continued to be damaged or destroyed by coalition airstrikes and shelling by Houthi/Saleh forces. 36 Parties to the conflict had endangered the protected status of such objects by positioning military objectives within or around them. Extremist groups had carried out direct attacks against cultural and religious sites. 31 32 33 34 35 36 10 See www.logcluster.org/countries/YEM. United Nations and international non-governmental organization flights have since resumed. See ICRC, rule 55. See ICRC, rule 56. See ICRC, rules 25, 28, 38 and 39. See annex III. Such attacks may also violate international human rights law, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, arts. 12, 13 and 15.