Yemen Monitor/Newsroom:
The Mafraq Mawiya area, under Houthi control east of Taiz governorate, witnessed a violent explosion at an arms depot on Thursday, resulting in several civilian casualties, including children and women.
According to local sources, the explosion occurred inside a shop and warehouse belonging to a Houthi element, causing powerful tremors and escalating flames and smoke, which spread panic among residents. Sources indicated that the injured were transferred to hospitals in Taiz and Ibb, while the final toll of victims has not yet been officially announced.
This incident comes days after a similar explosion in the Sarif area north of the capital, Sana’a, where an arms depot explosion killed and injured over 50 people, including women and children.
The incident has prompted international calls for independent investigations and accountability for those responsible for storing weapons within residential areas, in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.
The American Center for Justice (ACJ) called for an urgent investigation to determine the circumstances of both incidents and hold implicated Houthi leaders accountable. It also emphasized the necessity of clearing residential areas of arms depots to ensure the protection of civilian lives and prevent the recurrence of such disasters.
