Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
The Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms has strongly condemned the military escalation carried out by the Houthi militia in Yemen’s Al-Bayda Governorate.
The Network stated that the Houthis has imposed a military siege on Al-Khasha’a area, belonging to Hanakat Al-Masoud in the Al-Qurayshiyah District, deploying military reinforcements and various weaponry to the region. Additionally, the militia has established new checkpoints and armed trenches in the surrounding areas.
The Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms emphasized that this escalation is part of a series of grave violations committed by the Houthi militia against local residents. The area witnessed violent clashes early last year resulting from Houthi aggressions, the repercussions of which persist today. Dozens of locals remain victims of enforced disappearance, and 15 bodies are being held under mysterious circumstances without their fates being disclosed or handed over to their families.
The Network holds the Houthis fully responsible for the safety of civilians in the area and for the lives of the abductees. It considers these actions “full-fledged crimes” under International Humanitarian Law and a gross violation of the Geneva Conventions and International Human Rights Law.
The Network’s Demands:
- Immediate lifting of the siege on the Al-Khasha’a area and a halt to all military operations.
- Immediate and unconditional release of all abductees and forcibly disappeared persons.
- Disclosure of the victims’ fates and the unconditional handover of bodies to their families.
- Unobstructed access for humanitarian and rights organizations to reach the area.
The Network stressed that continued international silence toward these crimes has encouraged the Houthis to persist in its violations. It called upon the international community, the United Nations, and international human rights mechanisms to fulfill their legal and moral responsibilities by taking urgent action to stop these crimes and provide justice for the victims.
