Barran Press
A recent human rights report has uncovered a "complex network" responsible for the forced recruitment of Yemeni youth to fight in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The report emphasizes the urgent need for decisive action to pursue and penalize those involved in these recruitment operations.
Published by the SAM Organization for Rights and Freedoms, the report documents the exploitation of Yemeni youth within the context of the Russia-Ukraine war, highlighting how local groups collaborate with international brokers to recruit young men under false promises of lucrative jobs, with salaries sometimes reaching up to $10,000.
The report, which was reviewed by Barran Press, indicates that due to a lack of oversight and low legal awareness, Yemeni youth become easy prey for exploitation in military conflicts. It details the severe violations faced by recruits upon their arrival in Russia, stating they are forced to fight under harsh and inhumane conditions, deprived of food and medical care, and exposed to injuries and fatalities from indiscriminate shelling on the front lines.
The report also points to dire economic conditions in Yemen, including widespread unemployment and poverty, which make young people particularly vulnerable to exploitation. It argues that the lack of understanding of international and local laws further increases their risk of being exploited by coercive networks, making them more susceptible to violations in military conflict zones.
Notably, the report discusses a potential connection between the Houthis and Russia, suggesting coordination between these networks to advance political and military interests, thereby expanding Russia’s influence in Yemen. It indicates that these recruitment networks are used to bolster Russia’s presence in the conflict, highlighting the intertwining of regional and international conflicts with the plight of Yemeni citizens.
The report concludes that the forced recruitment network involves not only local agents but also individuals linked to political groups within Yemen, citing Abdul Wali Al-Jabri as a prominent figure in these networks. It describes how recruits are lured with promises of migration and employment, only to be illegally transported to Russia and held in forced military training camps.
Furthermore, these operations are often conducted without the recruits fully understanding the legal or humanitarian consequences of signing untranslated contracts. According to the report, the exploitation of Yemeni youth in the Russia-Ukraine war represents not just a violation of human rights but is also part of a broader humanitarian crisis intertwined with international and regional interests.
The organization calls for urgent legal measures to protect returning recruits and prevent the recurrence of such violations. It recommends tightening national laws to shield young people from exploitation, raising community awareness about the dangers of forced recruitment, and providing necessary support for returning recruits.
Additionally, the report urges the international community to intensify monitoring of recruitment channels for Yemenis, particularly through Oman and Russia, and to launch international investigations into these violations, pressuring the United Nations and relevant human rights councils to investigate issues related to mercenary recruitment.