Barran Press
TAIZ, Yemen — On January 9, 2025, the National Commission to Investigate Allegations of Human Rights Violations reported on the dire conditions faced by the villages of Al-Lasab, Al-Najd, and Al-Harar in the Sala district of Taiz Governorate. These areas have been subjected to ongoing sniping, shelling, and mine explosions, with recent incidents occurring in December 2024 and early January 2025.
According to the Yemeni News Agency Saba, the commission's team, led by Judge Ishraq Al-Maqatari, examined the perilous secondary roads that residents have had to use to transport their essential food and medical supplies.
The team observed the dangers faced by women farmers and schoolchildren trying to navigate these hazardous routes, as well as the daily struggles of civilian life in the villages.
Residents reported persistent sniping and shelling targeting their homes, noting that over 900 individuals remaining in the area have endured various violations. Recently, several women tending to sheep near their homes were injured by shrapnel from a shell that landed in the vicinity.
The commission's team also listened to accounts from victims and eyewitnesses regarding incidents of individual mine planting and explosions. They inspected farms and roads where mines had detonated, which have been abandoned due to the risk of further fatalities and amputations.
Additionally, the commission documented severe violations against the local population, including damage to their homes, properties, and farms, as well as wells. Residents have been deprived of safe access to healthcare services and face obstacles in education for their children due to indiscriminate shelling, forcing them to use damaged homes as makeshift schools, staffed by volunteer teachers without financial compensation.