UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Yemen urged the international community "to quickly intervene by land forces to save" the country, specifically in the cities of Aden and Taiz, according to a letter sent to the United Nations Security Council by Yemen's U.N. Ambassador Khaled Alyemany.
The letter, dated May 6 and seen by Reuters, also urges international human rights organizations to document "barbaric violations against a defenseless population."
It accused the Houthis of killing civilians and blocking medical teams.
The fighting across Yemen killed 120 people on Wednesday, mostly civilians, including at least 40 who were trying to flee the southern port city of Aden by a boat that was struck by Houthi shells, rescue workers and witnesses said.
The Houthis and ex-army forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh have besieged Aden for weeks in an effort to end resistance in the city where President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi briefly based his government before fleeing to Saudi Arabia.
"Everyone that has committed a crime will not escape punishment and the government will employ all means to bring the Houthis and forces loyal to former President Saleh to international justice as war criminals," Alyemany wrote in the letter to the Security Council.
(Editing by Chris Reese)
SEE ALSO: China is making moves in Antarctica
Join the conversation about this story »
NOW WATCH: Here's what happens when you get bitten by a black widow