Popular Protests Erupt in Taiz Demanding Economic Relief and Action on Water Crisis
Yemen Monitor – Newsroom:
Hundreds of Yemenis took to the streets of Taiz on Thursday to protest the rapid collapse of the national currency and worsening living conditions, amid a growing crisis in essential services—chief among them, access to drinking water.
The demonstrations began on Jamal Street and moved toward the temporary governorate headquarters. Protesters chanted slogans demanding urgent government action to halt the economic collapse and alleviate the daily suffering of citizens burdened by inflation, poverty, and a near-total absence of basic services.
Some of the city’s main streets witnessed violent protest activity, including the burning of tires and road blockages, which disrupted traffic for several hours.
Participants in the demonstrations said the Yemeni rial’s steep depreciation against foreign currencies has eroded the value of salaries, leaving most residents unable to afford basic necessities such as food, medicine, and water.
In response, Taiz security authorities accused individuals linked to the Houthi group of instigating the unrest. Colonel Nabil Al-Kadhhi, Deputy Chief of Taiz Police, told Belqees TV that “sleeper cells affiliated with the Houthis” were behind the tire burning and road blockades.
Al-Kadhhi stated that an investigation has been launched and vowed that security forces would not tolerate any attempts to incite chaos or threaten the city’s stability.
Like many other Yemeni cities, Taiz is grappling with severe economic and humanitarian challenges, with the water crisis among the most pressing. The absence of effective government solutions has sparked growing public frustration and warnings of further unrest if the situation continues to deteriorate unchecked.
