A women’s section of a prison in the southwest of Yemen in the province of Taiz was bombed by Houthi rebels on 5 April. At least six women and one child were killed and up to 20 were injured; four of the injured were children that were detained alongside their mothers. Yemen is currently still the world’s worst humanitarian disaster with 24 million people requiring humanitarian assistance and protection.
The attack
Just days prior to the attack the UN’s Yemen Envoy Martin Griffiths had just finalised urgent talks between warring parties. The talks had put in place a four-point plan including an immediate ceasefire in the wake of of the COVID-19 crisis.
At the time of the attack there were no other direct clashes going on. The targeted mortar shell attack was carried out by Houthi rebels, but the group have so far denied that attack, placing the blame on coalition forces. However, the international community firmly holds them fully responsible; UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet has made it clear that not only were they responsible for the shelling, but that is tantamount to a war crime.
“At the time of the attack, there were reportedly no armed clashes between the warring parties in the area. Furthermore, there was no apparent military presence in the vicinity of the prison. Such an attack cannot be justified in any circumstances…This attack appears to be in breach of international humanitarian law, and depending on the circumstances could amount to a war crime.”
MSF (Doctors Without Borders) received and treated the casualties at Al-Thawra Hospital in Taiz city. In a statement on twitter they said they had received the bodies of six women and one child at the hospital and were treating a number of injured women. MSF have themselves been targets of indiscriminate attacks during the conflict; in 2016 MSF-supported Shiara Hospital in northern Yemen, was hit by a missile that killed six and injured eight.
The campaign for Taiz has been one of the most protracted in the Yemen conflict, beginning one month after the start of the war. It is a city in the southwest of Yemen that has a population of over 600,000 people and has historically been considered the culture and political capital of the country. The city is still held by the Yemeni government but has faced considerable strain during the conflict as it has come under frequent attack by Houthi militia.
International response
Both the ICRC and the UN have condemned the attack calling on prisoners to remain under the protection of humanitarian law.
“The ICRC deplores yesterday’s attack on Taiz central prison that left women and children dead and injured. Prisons and their inmates are protected under international humanitarian law and cannot be targeted.”
Ms. Lise Grande, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen said,
“We’re facing massive humanitarian problems in the country…There’s no reason and no justification for these strikes and attacks to continue.”
Yemen is currently still the world’s worst humanitarian disaster with an enormous 80 per cent of the population in need of some form of humanitarian assistance. There are currently no reported cases of COVID-19, but the threat of the virus stands to cause chaos to an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis.