SANAA, Yemen

The UN children's agency UNICEF on Sunday announced an increase in the cash aid program to poor Yemenis in the war-torn country due to rising living costs.

In a statement, the UN agency said the payment includes “an additional 38% to the base benefit amount to help with the rising cost of living."

UNICEF, however, did not reveal the total amount of cash aid disbursed to the needy people in Yemen.

On a quarterly basis, UNICEF allocates an average of $40 to every household to help them secure their basic needs.

Nearly 9 million Yemenis benefit from the UNICEF cash program, which was launched in August 2017.

Yemen has been ravaged by violence and instability since 2014, when Iran-aligned Houthi rebels captured much of the country, including the capital Sanaa.

* Writing by Ahmed Asmar