Yemen’s Ministry of Human Rights strongly condemned the military escalation and widespread violations allegedly committed by the Houthi militia since September 3 in several areas of Taiz, Hudaydah and Marib governorates.
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The ministry said the attacks involved ballistic missiles, drones and various types of weapons, targeting populated areas, displacement camps and convoys carrying civilians fleeing areas of fighting.
In a statement, the ministry said the incidents it had documented, along with reports it had received through September 13, resulted in an initial toll of 150 civilians killed and more than 200 others injured. Around 85,000 people were also displaced, while property was destroyed and families were deprived of their homes, livelihoods and basic necessities.
The ministry noted that data from the International Organization for Migration indicated that around 2,000 people had arrived in Djibouti as a result of the escalation, reflecting the growing humanitarian impact of the violence beyond Yemen’s borders.
In Hudaydah governorate, the ministry documented direct attacks on civilians while they were fleeing the Hays district, resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries. Taiz governorate also witnessed shelling of residential areas, including the Al-Shuqayb area, which killed a pregnant woman and her fetus, while other attacks forced residents to flee.
The western coastal areas were also subjected to widespread attacks targeting populated communities and displacement areas. Displacement camps and residential neighborhoods in Marib governorate came under repeated ballistic missile and drone attacks, killing and injuring children and exposing thousands of displaced families to direct danger.
The Yemeni Ministry of Human Rights said the violations also included the storming and looting of the offices of international organizations, homes and government institutions, as well as the abduction of a journalist, employees, government officials and judicial personnel. It also cited reports of extrajudicial killings and attacks on wounded people inside healthcare facilities.
The ministry stressed that targeting civilians and displaced people and their convoys, attacking civilian and medical facilities, unlawful killings, field executions, abductions, arbitrary detention and looting of property constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Some of these acts may amount to war crimes, depending on the nature and circumstances of each incident and the evidence established.
The ministry held the Houthi militia responsible for the violations and called on the international community and the United Nations to take urgent action to stop attacks on civilians, protect displaced people, camps, evacuation convoys and medical facilities, release abductees and those held arbitrarily, and establish the fate of missing persons.
It also called for support for monitoring, documentation and investigation efforts, preservation of evidence, accountability for those responsible for violations, and redress for victims. It further urged stronger humanitarian assistance for displaced and affected families and guaranteed access to aid without obstruction.
The ministry reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting civilians and safeguarding their rights, as well as continuing to monitor and document violations and follow up on related reports. It extended its condolences to the families of those killed and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
