Sa'ada (Yemen), Aug 21 - The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has begun distributing emergency rations to thousands of people displaced by the fighting in northwest Yemen, WAM news agency reported Friday.

The five-year conflict in Sa'ada has already forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes and thousands more have been displaced by renewed fighting in recent weeks.

WFP provided high-energy biscuits and dates to 7,000 people in Hajjah governorate last week.

On Friday, it began distributing a full one-month ration of cereals, pulses, vegetable oil, salt and sugar to 10,000 people.

'WFP responded rapidly to this sudden crisis, providing life-saving assistance to thousands of homeless and hungry people who are reliant on our help,' said Gian Carlo Cirri, WFP country director in Yemen. 'But we are very short of funds for our operations, especially now that the situation is deteriorating and the needs are increasing.'

In June 2009, WFP had to suspend its food assistance programmes due to shortage of funds.