Human Rights Report Documents 661 Houthi Violations in Taiz Over 13 Days

The Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms reported on Thursday that its field teams documented 661 violations committed by Houthi militias against civilians in Taiz Governorate between September 3 and September 15.

The report detailed a wide array of abuses, including extrajudicial killings, field executions, indiscriminate shelling of civilian infrastructure, arbitrary detentions, house raids, and the destruction of essential public facilities. According to the findings, the 13-day surge in violence resulted in 51 civilian deaths and 62 injuries, with victims including women and children targeted by sniper fire, artillery, mortar shells, drone strikes, and ballistic missiles.

Beyond direct attacks, the network documented the summary execution of nine military personnel in front of their children in the Al-Wazi'iyah, Maqbanah, and Al-Kadaha districts. Furthermore, the report recorded 167 cases of kidnapping and arbitrary arrest, alongside the forceful raiding of 213 homes. The systematic destruction extended to critical infrastructure, impacting five mosques, six health facilities, 16 power stations, nine telecommunications networks, and vital transportation routes, including the strategic Hayjat Al-Abd road connecting Taiz to Aden.

The network highlighted that these actions have led to a severe deterioration of the security and humanitarian environment in the region, triggering the displacement of thousands of families. The destruction of essential services, coupled with the ongoing blockade, has created acute shortages of food, water, and medical supplies, further crippling the population's ability to access basic necessities.

Additionally, the report accused the Houthi militia of engaging in large-scale recruitment drives targeting children, as well as refugees and migrants from African nations. The network described these practices as a grave violation of international humanitarian law, noting that vulnerable individuals are frequently coerced or lured into combat roles on the front lines. The organization concluded by calling on the international community to intensify pressure on the Houthi leadership to cease attacks on civilians and ensure the safe delivery of humanitarian aid to the affected regions.