UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- A top UN humanitarian and relief official is scheduled to kick off his four-day visit to Yemen in order to "draw international attention to the ongoing humanitarian situation and galvanize support for the affected population" in the wake of conflict in north Yemen, UN officials said here Wednesday.

    John Holmes, UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, is to visit Yemen on Oct.8-11, the officials said.

    "Holmes is traveling to Yemen in order to draw international attention to the ongoing humanitarian situation and galvanize support for the affected population," a UN news release said. "He hopes to highlight the potential impact of continued neglect by the international community to humanitarian needs in Yemen."

    At the beginning of August 2009, the conflict between rebel groups and the government that has been festering since 2004 in Northern Yemen flared up again.

    According to the office of the Coordinator of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the UN refugee agency, known as UNHCR, there are currently between 35,000 and 50,000 people fleeing the violent conflict between the government and Houthi rebels.

    The number of refugees from the Saada conflict has increased since 2004 to approximately 150,000 people. The governorates of Saada, Hajjah, Amran and Al Jawf are most affected. Many refugees are currently heading towards the Saudi Arabian border, reports said.