Houthi-Saleh militia carried out massacre in Taiz: Govt

Pro-government fighters rush a colleague to a hospital after he was wounded in fighting against the Houthi militia in the southwestern city of Taiz, Yemen. (Reuters)

JEDDAH: Militias of deposed Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and the Houthi group committed human rights violations when dozens of civilians in Taiz were killed or wounded in missile attacks earlier this week, according to a report issued by the Yemeni Ministry of Human Rights.
The report, which was made available to Arab News, said the attacks occurred last Sunday through Tuesday.
“Today, Tuesday, the militia committed a new massacre against civilians by launching three missiles toward neighborhoods in downtown leaving 18 victims, dead and injured,” the report said. “The initial toll resulted from direct targeting and indiscriminate shelling in three days, from 21 to 23 of May, 2017, has escalated to more than 36 civilian victims, 14 killed and 22 injured, most of which have serious injuries,” said the report.
It further added that at least 11 children were killed or injured.
“The act of direct targeting and indiscriminate shelling of houses and neighborhoods, which are only inhabited by citizens the majority of which are women and children, shows how this militia underestimates the life of citizens and is always ready to make civilians a target for its military actions or as human shields in order to embody the spirit of killing and destruction practiced by the militia against all Yemenis,” said the report.
The report also noted that such crimes and escalation against civilians occurred in conjunction with the visit of UN envoy Ismail Ould Sheikh Ahmed to the occupied Sanaa.
Moreover, the report said the coup militia continues to reject any international efforts toward peace.
The ministry said the publication of the report aims to condemn the criminal act and ensure the perpetrators will be punished.
“Accordingly, the ministry calls on all regional and international human rights organizations, headed by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and other human rights organizations to pressure and stand against these militias,” said the report.