Brussels | 11 October 2026
Minister of Human Rights, Mashdal Mohammed, met today with senior officials of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the capital, Brussels, to discuss recent developments on the ground in Yemen, the latest human rights developments, and the serious violations committed by the terrorist Houthi militias against civilians.
The Belgian side included Antoine Delcourt, Director of the Middle East and North Africa Department; Peter Vermeirke, Head of the Humanitarian Aid and Transition Department; Frédéric De Coninck, Deputy Head of the Middle East and North Africa Department; and Marine Longtin, Human Rights Officer in the Human Rights Directorate. The Yemeni side included Undersecretary of the Ministry of Human Rights, Nabil Abdulhafeedh; Yemen’s Ambassador to Belgium, Mohammed Taha Mustafa; and Consul Dr. Yasser Dawood.
The Minister reviewed the grave violations that the terrorist Houthi militias continue to commit against civilians, including targeting residential areas and civilian facilities with missiles and drones, recruiting children, abduction, torture, enforced disappearance, and laying landmines, as well as the casualties, waves of displacement, and deterioration in living and humanitarian conditions resulting from these practices.
He addressed the militias’ continued siege of the city of Taiz and the restrictions it imposes on residents’ freedom of movement and access to basic services, as well as the daily burdens and risks faced by families when traveling, stressing the need to end the siege, alleviate the suffering of civilians, and ensure their safe access to essential needs.
The Minister also briefed the Belgian side on developments in Operation “Dawn of Yemen,” describing it as a battle to liberate areas under the militias’ control and restore state institutions. He reviewed the liberation of areas along the western coast and other fronts achieved in recent days, as well as the role of the Arab Coalition in supporting liberation operations and assisting government forces.
In this context, the Minister addressed the link between restoring security in coastal areas and ensuring the safety of international maritime navigation, explaining that one of the operation’s objectives is to end the militias’ threats to shipping and global trade in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab. He affirmed that the security of these vital waterways represents a shared interest for Yemen and the international community.
During the meeting, Undersecretary of the Ministry, Nabil Abdulhafeedh, highlighted the importance of the European Union’s political role in confronting Houthi violations and threats, calling for an expedited decision to designate the Houthi militias as a terrorist group, reflecting the seriousness of their actions against Yemenis and their threat to regional security and international navigation.
Abdulhafeedh affirmed that advancing this designation represents an important path toward increasing political and economic pressure on the militias and restricting their sources of funding, armament, and associated support networks, as a complement to efforts to restore the state, end violations, and protect civilians.
The meeting also addressed the Ministry of Human Rights’ projects and current priorities for developing its institutional performance, improving the quality of its human rights reports, strengthening its capacity to monitor and document violations, and providing regional and international bodies with relevant information and reports. The participants also explored opportunities for cooperation and technical support to enhance the efficiency of the Ministry’s human rights work.
