Violations in 2023 – HRITC documents 894 violations against civilians in Taiz
Taiz:
The Human Rights Information and Training Center launched its annual report, which it documented the occurrence of 894 violations against civilians in Taiz Governorate during the past year 2023, most of which were committed directly by the Houthi militia, which is classified by the Security Council as a terrorist organization.
The center said in a press statement today that according to the information and data collected and confirmed by the field team, the Houthi militia directly caused 753 violations, and armed men outside the state caused 80 violations, while individuals affiliated with multiple factions in the government army caused 19 violations. Unknown armed men caused 40 violations.
The joint forces on the West Coast, affiliated with Tariq Saleh, also caused one violation, and another violation occurred as a result of clashes between armed men outside the framework of the state and the security committee.
Extrajudicial killing:
The Center’s field team documented the killing of 78 civilians, including 22 children and 5 women, at the hands of various parties in Taiz. The Houthi militia caused the death of 41 civilians, including 5 women and 15 children. About 16 civilians, including 3 women and 8 children, were killed as a result of their direct targeting with various heavy and medium shells, which fell almost Daily on most neighborhoods and residential areas in the city and a number of districts and countrysides.
8 civilians, including two children, were killed by direct bullets, while 10 civilians, including two women and 4 children, were killed by direct sniping by snipers belonging to the Houthi militia in the places and military barracks that the militia had taken in neighboring places under its control.
One civilian also fell as a result of mines, and one child fell as a result of the explosion of a projectile left by the Houthis. The militia also physically liquidated one civilian, 3 civilians were killed by drone bombardment, and another civilian was killed by being run over with a military kit.
Armed men outside the state, concentrated in areas liberated from the Houthi militia, caused the death of 17 civilians, including one child. 14 civilians were killed by direct bullets, two civilians were killed by a hand grenade explosion, and one child was killed by returning bullets.
While members of the army and security forces affiliated with several party and regional factions caused the death of 7 civilians, including a child, 6 of them and the child were killed by direct bullets, while one civilian was assassinated.
Unidentified gunmen caused the death of about 11 civilians, including 5 children. Two civilians were killed, including by direct bullets, one child was killed by an explosive device, two civilians were slaughtered, including a child. Two civilians were assassinated, and 4 civilians, including two children, were killed by returning bullets.
One civilian was killed by bullets during clashes between the security forces and armed men outside the framework of the state, and another civilian was killed by bullets from a member of the joint forces affiliated with Tariq Saleh.
Multiple injuries:
The Human Rights Information and Training Center documented the injury of 166 civilians, including 54 children and 13 women. The Houthi militia caused 100 civilian injuries, including 43 children and 8 women, as various shells claimed the lives of 40 civilians, including 3 women and 18 children.
Snipers injured about 40 civilians, including 4 women and 14 children, while 11 civilians, including 8 children and a woman, were injured as a result of mines, and one civilian was injured as a result of explosive devices planted by the militia.
Six civilians, including two children, were injured in a drone strike, while one civilian was beaten
One child was injured as a result of the explosion of a remnant of war.
Armed men outside the state caused the injury of 53 civilians, including 3 women and 7 children. 38 of them were injured by direct bullets, including 3 women and 3 children, and 15 civilians, including 4 children, were injured by hand grenade explosions.
4 civilians, including a child, were injured by individuals and factions in the government army. 3 civilians were injured by direct bullets, and one child was injured by the explosion of an explosive device.
Unidentified gunmen injured 9 civilians, including two women and three children. Seven civilians, including two women and two children, were injured by returning bullets. One civilian was injured by a hand grenade explosion, and one child was injured by the explosion of an explosive device.
Kidnappings:
The Human Rights Information and Training Center monitored 12 individual and group kidnapping cases.
The Houthi militia caused 5 cases, gunmen outside the state caused 4 cases, members of the army and security caused 2 cases, one of them a woman, and unknown gunmen caused one case.
Assaults:
The Information Center’s field team documented two cases of attacks against civilians in Taiz Governorate during the reporting period, one of which was committed by armed men outside the framework of the state, and the other was committed by unknown gunmen.
Arrests:
The Information Center’s field team documented 3 cases of mass arrests, two of which were carried out by the Houthi militia, and one case was committed by members of the government army.
Torture:
The field team documented one case of torture committed by the Houthi militia.
Displacement and forced displacement:
The Centre’s field team monitored 218 cases of mass displacement caused by the Houthi militia, except for one mass displacement case carried out by armed men outside the framework of the state.
Freedom of speech:
The Information Center’s human rights team monitored one case of violation of freedom of opinion and expression committed by individuals in the government army.
Public and private property:
The field team was able to monitor the damage to 412 public and private properties, including 6 public properties and 406 private properties, where 5 public properties were damaged by the Houthi militia, and the team documented one case by members of the army and security.
While 382 private properties were damaged by the Houthi militia, 4 properties by gunmen outside the state, 18 properties by unknown gunmen, and 3 properties by members of the army and security.
Mass massacres:
The Human Rights Information and Training Center documented the occurrence of one bloody massacre committed by the Houthi militia, in which 5 civilians, including 4 children, were killed and 10 other civilians were injured, all from one family.
Assassinations:
The Center documented 3 cases of assassination, two of which were committed by unknown gunmen, one case was committed by gunmen outside the framework of the state, and 4 assassination attempts committed by unknown gunmen.
