Yemen Group Documents Over 1,800 Houthi Sniper Attacks on Civilians in Taiz

A Yemeni human rights organization has reported that Houthi militia snipers have killed and wounded hundreds of civilians in Taiz Governorate over more than a decade of conflict, detailing a pattern of attacks described as among the most lethal and persistent violations in the country.

The "Justice for Rights and Development" organization, in a statistical documentation report announced at a press conference, stated that it had recorded 1,829 sniper incidents targeting civilians across 17 districts in Taiz Governorate between March 2015 and the end of April 2026.

The report indicated that these incidents resulted in the deaths of 784 civilians and the injury of 1,045 others. It highlighted that the high fatality rate reflects the lethal nature of sniper use against non-military targets.

Demographic analysis from the report revealed that children, women, and the elderly were among the most affected. Children under 18 constituted approximately 27.5% of all injured and 19.4% of those killed, totaling 440 cases. Women accounted for 11.2% of the victims, and the elderly represented 10.6% of the fatalities.

The organization asserted that this pattern of repeated targeting of legally protected civilian groups "undermines the assumption of randomness" and strengthens indicators of deliberate targeting.

The report concluded that these attacks could amount to war crimes, and potentially crimes against humanity, according to the standards stipulated in international law, including the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, given their widespread nature, persistence, and the profile of the victims. The organization considers sniper operations a violation of international humanitarian law, including the prohibition against targeting civilians or spreading terror among them.

The organization urged the international community to reactivate the UN investigative mechanism for Yemen and expand its mandate to include investigating sniper incidents and identifying those responsible, in addition to imposing targeted sanctions against those involved. It emphasized that any political settlement that does not include effective accountability mechanisms and justice for victims could perpetuate an environment of impunity and contribute to the continuation of violations.