Houthis Abduct University Student in Ibb, Continue to Pursue Academics and Educators

Yemen Monitor/Ibb/Exclusive:

The Houthi group continues to escalate abduction campaigns in Ibb governorate, central Yemen, targeting students, educational, academic, and medical figures. This is a blatant violation of human rights, amid official silence and disregard for popular and human rights demands to stop these abuses.

In a new incident this Saturday morning, armed men believed to belong to the Houthi intelligence apparatus kidnapped student Ashraf Taher Al-Dhurasi while he was on his way to the Faculty of Information Technology at Ibb University.

Eyewitnesses reported that the kidnappers were driving a golden “Accent” car without license plates. They forced the student into the vehicle and took him to an unknown location.

This incident comes as part of a series of abductions that have affected dozens of the governorate’s residents in recent weeks.

Local sources reported that yesterday, Friday, the group abducted educator Fouad Hamed, as part of a campaign that has targeted around 80 educational and health cadres in the recent period.

On the same day, the militia launched a new wave of abductions in the districts of Al-Nadirah and Al-Makhadir, north and east of the governorate. Those abducted included Rizq Taher Al-Lahbi, Professor Jamal Al-Shumaili, and teacher Anwar Hammoud Al-Salmi, known as “Al-Tuwaiti,” in addition to teacher Saleh Al-Afif.

In recent days, Dr. Mohammed Qaed Aqlan, director of Dar Al-Quran Al-Karim in Al-Yihari area, was also abducted, just one day after the assassination of Sheikh Saleh Hantous, director of Dar Al-Quran Al-Karim in Al-Salafia district in Raymah governorate, a crime that sparked widespread outrage.

In Ibb rural district, educator Ali Al-Dheeb was abducted from Al-Masha’ba village, and all means of communication with him were cut off, with visits prohibited. Teacher Ahmed Al-Dumaini from the same district was also abducted.

The Houthi campaign expanded to include prominent medical professionals. Over the past two weeks, the group abducted: Dr. Ahmed Yassin (cardiologist), Dr. Sadiq Al-Yousefi, Dr. Thaer Al-Dua’is, Dr. Nabil Al-Yafrasi, in addition to citizens Faisal Abdullah Al-Shuwaie, Mohammed Taher, and Talal Salam, all from Al-Udayn district, west of Ibb.

The list of abductees also included academics and employees, most notably: Hamoud Abdullah Al-Maqbeli, Director of Staff Affairs at the University of Science and Technology, Nashwan Al-Hajj, an employee at Saba Bank, and Dr. Mohammed Al-Shareh.

Human rights and media sources state that the pace of Houthi abductions has escalated since the end of May, peaking in July, amid the group’s disregard for any local or international human rights appeals.

“Rasad” human rights organization documented over 2,200 violations and crimes committed by the Houthi group in Ibb governorate alone during 2024. These included cases of abduction, torture, property looting, and systematic attacks on public freedoms and human rights.