Yemen’s insurgents shell Taiz killing four children

Yemeni government has called on the international community and right groups to condemn Al Houthi crimes in the city of Taiz and mount more pressure on rebels to stop their deadly shelling of the densely city. The government’s appeal comes hours after shells fired by Al Houthi fighters exploded in Beir Basha district in the city of Taiz, killing four civilians, including children, and injuring seven others.

Abdul Malek Al Mekhlafi, Yemen’s foreign minister, said on his official Twitter feed that the international community should criticise Al Houthi movement human right violations, mainly in the city of Taiz. “The Beir Basha massacre should expose all the other carnages committed by the militia in Taiz and other cities.” Al Mekhlafi said.

Residents told Gulf News that Al Houthis, stationed on the northern suburbs of the city, on Sunday night fired artillery barrage on residential areas in the western parts of the city which is under control of government forces. A shell or two landed inside a house killing four and injuring several others and caused great panic in Beir Basha.

Local activists and journalists posted extremely graphic photos of a child who was smashed beyond recognition. Hundreds of civilians have been killed in Al Houthi indiscriminate artillery attacks since early 2015 when they attacked the city during the early days of their rapid military expansion across Yemen. Al Mekhlafi also urged local right activists who support Al Houthis and ousted president to condemn their movements’ crimes.

In an attempt to sensitise international right groups to Al Houthi crimes in Yemen, the internationally-recognised government released many reports that gave details on civilians deaths in contested and liberated areas, including Taiz.

Meanwhile in the far north of the country, Yemen’s army announced on Monday storming of new districts in the city of Medi in the province of Hajja, driving the Al Houthi militia into holing up inside a silver of territories. Government forces backed by heavy air support from the Saudi-led coalition, laid a siege on the rebels in the deserted city months ago after cutting off all supply routes. On Sunday, at least two dozen armed vehicles were seen crossing into the battlefield in Medi from the Saudi side of the borderline. Government forces earlier last year seized control of the city’s seaport, a notorious entry point for smuggling in Iranian arms to the rebels. In the province of Jawf, the Ministry of Defence said two Al Houthi field leaders were killed in clashes with government forces around Ham mountain in the district of Metoun.

On the other hand, Yemen’s insurgency leaders have held a meeting with a number of elders loyal to former president Ali Abdallah Saleh to discuss the forcible recruitment of children following huge human losses within their ranks on the front lines, sources in Al-Mahwit governorate said.

The sources confirmed that the meeting discussed the recruitment mechanism in areas such as al-Taweelah, Bani Saad, and Shibam. Houthi supervisors were assigned to follow up the enlisting.

Meanwhile, insurgency militias continued to enforce taxes in Hawit and Amran which fall under their control. They have forced stores and merchants to pay sums of money for the alleged funding of the celebrations commemorating the insurgency coup on September 21.

Meanwhile, the popular resistance in Tuhama district continued to target Houthi and Saleh military bases, amid intensified clashes in several battlefronts in Taiz, Marib, Nahim, and al-Baydaa.

Coalition warplanes carried out raids on Houthi and Saleh militias, destroying three vehicles, five motorcycles and killing and injuring several of them, according to military sources.

The coalition also staged raids on Houthi targets in al-Jawf district, leading to deaths among the insurgents. Army troops advanced in Marib and regained control over new mountainous areas following severe clashes in Heilan and al-Mashjah. National army troops also succeeded in thwarting an insurgency attack in al-Tebbah al-Sawdaa of al-Qabitah district in Lahij governorate, a military source informed Asharq Al-Awsat. In addition, militias continued to attack residential areas in Taiz, killing and injuring several civilians including women and children.

A military source in Taiz reiterated to Asharq al-Awsat that several residents were killed and a child was injured. He added that the western front of Taiz witnessed severe clashes, forcing the insurgents to flee.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) condemned the shelling on residential areas in Shab al-Doubba and Souk al-Samil in Taiz on Friday September 15, which left three children dead and nine others severely injuring.

ICRC’s Regional Director for the Near and Middle East Robert Mardini urged all warring sides to take every precaution to spare civilians.

“We cannot turn a blind eye on the rising number of civilians injured or killed as a result of indiscriminate attacks in Yemen’s conflict. Too often in recent months, civilians, women, men and children, have been in harm’s way, becoming victims of shells and bombs,” said Mardini.

The Regional Director added that what happened on Friday is yet another stark reminder of the immense suffering that civilians across Yemen are enduring in their daily lives.