Taiz Endures 1444 Houthi Violations, 367 Civilian Casualties in October

A total of 1,444 violations against civilians and civilian infrastructure were documented in Taiz Governorate during October, resulting in 367 civilian casualties including deaths, injuries, and abductions, according to the Taiz Human Rights Center. The report, titled "Taiz Under Fire and Siege," highlights a significant escalation in Houthi abuses and their widening geographical scope within the province.

The center's findings, covering the period from October 1st to 31st, indicate that 54 civilians were killed, including 19 children and 13 women. Additionally, 147 civilians were injured, comprising 49 children and 42 women, while 166 individuals were abducted. These figures represent the final results of field documentation, following data review, sorting, and verification.

These documented violations coincided with a military escalation by the Houthi militia in the southern, western, and southeastern rural areas of the governorate, as they attempted to gain control of these regions while maintaining the siege on Taiz city. The report details that the violations included artillery and rocket shelling, which caused casualties and damage to civilian property, home invasions, abductions, and the looting of public and private assets, as well as the seizure of service facilities.

Material damage was extensive, with 637 homes documented as damaged, including 374 that were raided and looted, 9 completely destroyed, and 255 partially damaged. The report also recorded damage to 119 educational facilities, including the التربة University and the Health Institute, 190 mosques, and 131 health facilities, 11 of which were destroyed. The group also seized 120 other facilities.

Geographically, the violations extended to 14 districts. الشمايتين district recorded the highest number with 276 violations, including three extrajudicial killings, two injuries, and 17 abductions, alongside damage to 126 homes, 62 mosques, 32 educational facilities, and 34 health facilities. المواسط district followed with 210 violations, and جبل حبشي district was third with 196 violations.

The Taiz Human Rights Center interpreted the concentration and geographical spread of these violations as indicative of a systematic military escalation aimed at encircling populated areas and exhausting the civilian population. The center considers these actions to be serious crimes, potentially amounting to crimes against humanity, which necessitate investigation and accountability under international law.

The center urged the Houthi militia to immediately cease attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, lift the siege on Taiz city, open roads and crossings, and release arbitrarily detained individuals, disclosing the fate of those forcibly disappeared. It also called on the United Nations and the international community to intensify pressure to halt the violations, end the siege, expand humanitarian interventions, and support independent investigation mechanisms and the preservation of evidence to ensure accountability for perpetrators and justice for victims.