Rights Network Warns of Military Escalation in Rada’a, Calls for Immediate Ceasefire
Yemen Monitor/ Newsroom:
The Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms has issued an urgent warning regarding a dangerous military escalation in the Al-Hafra area of Rada’a, located in the Al-Bayda Governorate. The network accused Houthi forces of imposing a suffocating siege on residential neighborhoods and utilizing heavy and medium weaponry since the evening of Saturday, February 14.
According to the statement, the ongoing clashes have resulted in civilian casualties and a rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation characterized by widespread panic and the displacement of local residents.
The network highlighted that the shelling of populated areas and the restriction of movement represent grave violations of international humanitarian law and the principles of civilian protection during armed conflict.
Initial reports from field monitoring teams indicate that the excessive use of force within the city has created a climate of terror among women, children, and the elderly. Furthermore, the closure of main roads has severely hindered the ability of medical and relief teams to reach the wounded or provide essential services.
According to eyewitness accounts, the spark for this latest escalation was the killing of a young man named Abdullah Hassan Al-Halimi, who was reportedly shot by Houthi-affiliated elements in a local market in central Rada’a.
This incident follows a disturbing pattern of violence, occurring less than nine months after the victim’s father, Sheikh Abdullah Hassan Al-Halimi, was killed in July of last year. Human rights advocates argue that such repeated acts of violence pose a direct threat to social peace and stability in the region.
In response to these events, the Network called for an immediate cessation of the use of heavy weaponry in residential zones and the lifting of the siege on civilians to ensure the opening of safe humanitarian corridors. It also demanded an independent and transparent investigation into the reported killings and violations to hold those responsible accountable. Finally, the network appealed to the United Nations and the international community to intervene urgently, warning that continued targeting of residential neighborhoods could lead to a major humanitarian disaster and undermine any remaining prospects for calm.
