Yemeni Organizations: Children Are Fuel for Houthi War

Yemeni civil society organizations revealed today (Saturday) a dangerous escalation in Houthi militia violations against civilians, confirming cases of children forcibly recruited by the militia and thrown into combat fronts, with several captured in Taiz, the Western Coast, Marib, and Al-Jawf.

In a joint statement issued today, the organizations said that the recent military escalation on the coast was accompanied by widespread violations including killing, kidnapping, arbitrary detention, forced displacement, demolition of homes, and targeting of civilian vehicles, as well as sniping and shelling that hit residential neighborhoods, villages, health facilities, and educational institutions.

They noted that children were at the forefront of victims of these violations, through their recruitment and involvement in combat operations and deprivation of their basic rights, stressing that recruiting children or using them in hostilities constitutes a war crime when its legal elements are met.

The organizations documented the targeting of a displaced persons gathering in Rugwan district, Marib Governorate, with a ballistic missile on September 7, resulting in the death of two children aged 5 and 7 years and injuring 15 civilians, including 8 children, in addition to damage to 16 homes and 3 civilian vehicles.

They also pointed to the shelling of populated villages in Taiz and the targeting of December 2 Hospital in Mocha city with a ballistic missile on the same day, affirming that civilian and medical sites enjoy protection under international humanitarian law.

According to the statement, recent military operations led to the displacement of 2,183 families from Taiz and Al-Hodeidah until September 5, including 1,643 families comprising 8,896 individuals in Taiz, and 450 families in Al-Hodeidah, amid urgent needs for shelter, food, water, healthcare, and protection.

The organizations warned of the transfer of Houthi violations to African migrants, accusing the militia of recruiting them, exploiting their vulnerable conditions, and throwing them into combat fronts. They also warned of the continued threat to international navigation and ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, considering this a threat to regional and international peace, security, and the global economy.

They called on the United Nations and the Security Council to take practical measures to protect civilians, stop the recruitment of children and exploitation of migrants, and threaten navigation, while strengthening investigation and accountability mechanisms to prevent impunity, alongside supporting programs for the release, rehabilitation, and reintegration of recruited children and migrants.