Barran Press
On November 13, 2024, local sources reported that the Houthi group, listed as a terrorist organization internationally, has forcibly displaced 6,250 citizens from their homes in the Al Jarrahi district of Al Hodeidah Governorate, western Yemen, since early October.
According to a statement from the local authorities in Al Hodeidah, which supports the internationally recognized government, these forced displacements have been ongoing since late October and have affected villages in both southern and northern coastal districts of the province.
In the past two days, the Houthis reportedly forced residents of five villages in southern Al Jarrahi, home to around 350 families (approximately 1,750 individuals), to evacuate their homes under threat of violence. Following these evictions, the group began constructing military fortifications and digging tunnels in these residential areas.
The local authorities emphasized that the displaced residents are now living in the open after being forcibly removed from their homes, farmland, and sources of livelihood, while both local and international human rights organizations have remained silent on these blatant violations.
The statement warned that such displacements would deprive the villagers of their agricultural livelihoods, exacerbating their humanitarian suffering and causing destruction to hundreds of agricultural lands.
The Al Hodeidah authorities noted that these forced displacements come just days after similar actions affected hundreds of residents in the coastal city of Al Manzar, located on the outskirts of Al Hodeidah and under the jurisdiction of the Al Hoke district.
They also reported that the Houthis have constructed a wall around Al Manzar, which has a population of approximately 4,500, closing all access points and forcing its residents to flee.
Local authorities called on the regional and international community, the United Nations, and all humanitarian and human rights organizations to address these violations, stating that they contravene international humanitarian law and global principles regarding the protection of civilians in conflict.
They asserted that these violations, along with previous attacks on civilians, constitute war crimes and urged the UN, the Security Council, and the Human Rights Council to condemn these actions.
Earlier this year, the Houthis displaced residents from the village of Al-Daqawna, located along the main road linking Haradh and Al Hodeidah , affecting around 70 families (approximately 350 individuals). They also transformed the Al Khoubah fishing port in the Al Lahiya district into a closed military zone, preventing fishermen from docking their boats and engaging in fishing activities.