Displaced Families Blocked at Aden Entry Points, Accused of Looting

Human rights sources reported on Thursday that Yemeni families displaced from conflict zones in the West Coast and Taiz governorate are facing detention and obstruction at the entry points to the temporary capital, Aden. Security checkpoints affiliated with the Southern Transitional Council have reportedly prevented some families from entering the city and forced others to wait for hours.

The sources informed "خبر" agency that the measures affected families displaced from the directorates of Mokha, Hais, and Khawkhah on the West Coast, as well as other families fleeing conflict areas in Taiz governorate, amid escalating military confrontations and the risks of shelling and combat operations affecting homes and villages.

According to the sources, elements at the security checkpoints claim that the influx of displaced persons represents an additional burden on Aden. Human rights sources described a lack of government intervention to halt these practices and ensure the right of displaced families to access safe areas, receive care, and be provided with shelter.

Activists and human rights defenders stated that checkpoint personnel are forcing families off transport buses, leaving them under the sun for extended periods. Some displaced individuals are being denied passage into the city. They added that some displaced persons, particularly women, have been subjected to what they described as humiliating and degrading treatment. Accusations have also been made against checkpoint personnel for seizing personal belongings from families, including mobile phones, cash, and gold jewelry.

Sources also informed "خبر" agency about restrictions imposed on displaced persons within Aden, including preventing some families from renting rooms in hotels, which exacerbates the difficulty of finding shelter, especially for families who arrived in the city after fleeing active combat zones.

Activists and human rights defenders have issued an appeal to the President and members of the Presidential Leadership Council, the leadership of the Arab Coalition, and the local authority in Aden to intervene and halt what they termed as arbitrary practices against the displaced, and to ensure their passage to safe areas and the provision of their basic needs. These accusations come at a time of military escalation on the West Coast and Taiz fronts, which is compelling more civilians to leave their areas in search of safety amidst an ongoing displacement crisis that Yemen has been suffering since the outbreak of the war.