Wednesday | October 21, 2026
Minister of Human Rights Mashdal Mohammed warned of the worsening humanitarian situation in the city of Taiz due to the suffocating siege and continuous shelling carried out by the terrorist Houthi militias, calling on the international community to take a firm stance to break the siege, ensure the delivery of essential supplies to the population, and avert a humanitarian catastrophe threatening their lives.
In an interview with Al Hadath TV, the Minister stated that more than two and a half million civilians in the city of Taiz are subjected to siege and shelling targeting medical facilities, residential neighborhoods, homes, and villages. He stressed that preventing the entry of water, food, medicine, and petroleum products exacerbates the suffering of the population and places them in extremely dangerous conditions.
He explained that the Ministry has continued, since the first day, to monitor and document violations in cooperation with local authorities and through its offices and monitors in the governorates. He noted that the Ministry has documented cases of indiscriminate shelling targeting civilians, killings by sniper fire, and the planting of landmines in rural areas recently overrun by the militias.
Regarding displacement, the Minister indicated that the number of displaced persons from Taiz and Hodeidah has exceeded a quarter of a million since last September, including more than 150,000 from Taiz, according to United Nations statistics cited during the interview. He suggested that the actual figures may be higher. He explained that displaced persons have sought refuge in safe areas under the control of the legitimate government in Aden, Lahj, and Abyan, where they face difficult living conditions requiring an urgent humanitarian response.
The Minister also spoke about his visit to Al-Firdous Camp in Aden, explaining that local authorities have established camps to accommodate displaced persons in cooperation with international organizations. However, needs remain substantial, particularly the provision of sustainable water sources, regular food supplies, and essential items for displaced families.
He emphasized that the Ministry is working to prepare comprehensive human rights files documenting violations committed by the terrorist Houthi militias in Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahj, and Marib, and has already completed a number of them. He pointed out that attacks on airports, civilian and vital facilities, and camps for displaced persons require a firm international stance and accountability for those responsible.
He also addressed the targeting of a security training center in Shabwah Governorate, located outside the front lines, stating that the attack claimed the lives of more than 73 people. He stressed that the continuation of these crimes reinforces the need to treat the militias as a terrorist group and designate them accordingly.
The Minister called on United Nations organizations, particularly the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as well as brotherly and friendly countries, to strengthen their humanitarian interventions and respond to the urgent needs of displaced persons.
He noted that his recent meetings in European capitals had revealed a growing conviction regarding the danger posed by the terrorist Houthi militias and the necessity of designating them as such, emphasizing that their continued violations and disregard for civilian lives have become increasingly evident to international parties.
