Houthi Shelling Injures Child in Yemen's Taiz Amid Escalating Attacks

A young girl sustained injuries on Monday when Houthi militia launched artillery shelling targeting a residential neighborhood in the city of Taiz, southwestern Yemen. This incident marks the latest attack on populated areas within the besieged governorate.

Human rights sources reported that mortar shells fired by the Houthi militia landed on civilian homes in the Al-Dahi district. The shelling resulted in the child's injury, with one shell penetrating a house wall and falling onto water tanks.

The shelling occurs amidst a military escalation in Taiz Governorate that began in August, characterized by attacks on residential neighborhoods and civilian areas, which have caused casualties, including women and children, according to human rights and local sources.

On October 9th, a woman and a child were killed, and six other civilians were injured by a mortar shell fired by the Houthi militia that fell in front of a house in the Al-Shaqab area of Sabr Al-Mawadim district, southeastern Taiz. The deceased child was identified as Mohammed Abdullah Abdo Muqbil, 12, and the woman as Dhikrayat Abdulwahed Ahmed Yahya. The injured were transported to the hospital for treatment of moderate to severe wounds.

Earlier, on September 27th, nine-year-old Elias Nabil Naji Al-Burkani died from injuries sustained when a mortar shell from the militia targeted a house in the village of Al-Zariba, western Taiz. These incidents are not exhaustive but represent a sample of attacks on civilian areas in Taiz districts, alongside reports of house demolitions and summary executions of individuals accused of opposing the militia.

The persistent shelling exacerbates the risks of injury and death for civilians, particularly children and women, in a city that has been under a continuous Houthi siege for years.