Today's Edition
AHMED MURAD (ADEN, CAIRO)
The Houthi group continues its aggressive practices against millions of Yemenis by launching several missile attacks on civilian homes and Internally Displaces Persons (IDP) camps in various areas, blatantly challenging the international and United Nations (UN) efforts aimed at reviving peace opportunities in Yemen.
On October 7, the Houthis targeted the Al Meil IDP camp with a Katyusha missile, causing significant material damage and cutting off electricity in the camp, which houses more than 3,600 displaced families.
Yemeni Minister of Information, Moammar Al-Eryani, explained that the Houthi’s aggression against the Al Meil camp, located north of Marib, coincided with the visit of the UN envoy to Yemen’s military adviser. Al-Eryani described this move as a blatant challenge to the international community and a disregard for efforts and calls for de-escalation and peace.
Yemeni political analyst Aida bin La’sam stated that the repeated Houthi aggressions against civilians and IDPs prove that the group is not interested in peace and does not care about stability in Yemen. They only seek to achieve their interests in establishing authority through a policy of imposing a fait accompli, bin La’sam said.
Bin La’sam told Aletihad that the continuous Houthi attacks endanger the lives of millions of civilians and IDPs, exacerbating the humanitarian crises faced by Yemenis.
The political analyst further stressed that the situation requires the international community and the UN to take firm and decisive stances against Houthi group’s violations, especially as their practices are seen as criminal in the eye of international law and norms.
The Executive Unit for the Management of IDP Camps in Marib Governorate called for a serious stance towards the repeated Houthi targeting of IDP camps, noting that many camps have been affected by the Houthis’ aggressions.
The Yemeni political analyst warned that the dangerous Houthi practices threaten to undermine and abolish any chance for peace, emphasising the need to hold Houthi leaders accountable for these crimes through international mechanisms. He pointed out that the international community’s lack of accountability measures encourages the Houthi group to repeat these crimes over and over.
In early September, the group targeted several IDP camps in the Marib Governorate, including Al Menin, Al Qibli, Al Maslul, Hajibah, and Shuqman clinic.
Yemeni political analyst Saleh Abu Awadl explained that targeting civilian areas and IDP camps with missiles, artillery, and drones is typical for the Houthi group, which uses the same violent methods as Al Qaeda and Da’esh.
Over the past nine years, the insurgent group has not stopped its aggressive practices of killing, bombing, rigging, arresting, and torturing. Regrettably, no deterrence attempts have been successful in preventing the group from these violations against the Yemeni people.
According to human rights reports, approximately 2,263 targeting and shelling operations using missiles, artillery, and drones were carried out by the Houthi group in the Marib Governorate between October 2014 and February 2022, resulting in 788 civilian deaths and 1,528 injuries.
