Khaled al-Hatmi, Barran Press
As Eid al-Adha brings a semblance of joy to Yemen, it also marks a somber four-year anniversary for dozens of families in Marib. They are haunted by the brutal Houthi attack on a local fuel station, a horrific incident that claimed scores of lives, including that of five-year-old Layan Taher Mohammed Faraj. Layan's charred body, found clinging to her father, remains a chilling symbol of the assault's devastating ferocity.
The Inferno's Unfolding
The tragedy unfolded on June 5, 2021. The Iran-backed Houthi group launched a ballistic missile at a fuel station in Marib city's Al-Rawdha neighborhood. Dozens of vehicles were queued for fuel when the missile struck, igniting a massive blaze.
Minutes later, as first responders and ambulances rushed to the scene, the Houthis deployed an explosives-laden drone from their positions in the western mountains, targeting the same location. This "double-tap" tactic is designed to maximize casualties among both victims and rescuers.
The coordinated attack resulted in 21 fatalities, including Layan and 10-year-old Hassan Al-Hubaishi. Many others suffered severe injuries. The fuel station was completely destroyed, at least seven vehicles were incinerated, and several others, including two ambulances, sustained damage. Harrowing images and videos of Layan's remains, found clutched to her father, circulated widely across local media and social platforms, cementing the incident in public memory.
Layan's family had been among the hundreds of thousands displaced from Amran Governorate, seeking refuge in Marib from the ravages of war, crumbling services, and exacerbated poverty, all fueled by the Houthi group's expansionist agenda.
Marib city, a sanctuary for most of the governorate's displaced population, has endured a decade of relentless Houthi shelling from the western highlands. These persistent attacks have caused numerous casualties and extensive damage to public and private property.
A human rights report by the "Yemen Rights for Rights and Freedoms" organization documented 2,263 Houthi shelling operations targeting civilian areas in Marib between October 2014 and February 2022. These assaults led to 2,316 civilian casualties, including 788 deaths and 1,528 injuries.
The report detailed 421 attacks on civilian homes and 123 shelling incidents targeting displacement camps, including the Al-Mail camp, which was hit 17 times, resulting in 115 displaced casualties, among them 34 children and 23 women. It also recorded 96 attacks on schools, 78 on hospitals and medical facilities, and 89 on government and service infrastructure.
The Houthis reportedly used 367 ballistic missiles, 627 Grad rockets, 238 explosives-laden drones, 653 mortar shells, and 388 other projectiles in these operations. The fuel station attack stands out as one of the city's most egregious crimes, specifically employing both missiles and drones to inflict maximum human devastation.
Abdulrab Jadea, Director-General of the Human Rights Office in Marib Governorate, described the fuel station attack as "one of the most heinous crimes committed by the Houthi group against civilians," classifying it as a "crime against humanity." Speaking to Bran Press, Jadea asserted that international organizations have consistently documented such acts as part of a "widespread and systematic pattern."
He emphasized that "the Al-Rawdha massacre embodies the Houthi group's utter disregard for innocent lives and its systematic use of violence and terrorism to instill fear in civilians." Jadea added that "the image of child Layan, charred in her father's arms, was not just a tragic picture; it was a moral and human cry that shook the conscience of the world."
Najeeb Al-Shaghdari, head of the Musawat Organization for Rights and Freedoms, similarly called it a "bloody massacre that shocked the conscience of humanity and drew widespread condemnation... one of the most horrific massacres committed by the Houthis in their criminal history." He told Bran Press that the Houthis "targeted a petroleum products station in a densely populated civilian neighborhood with a ballistic missile, an internationally prohibited weapon, leaving dozens of civilians dead and wounded, including the innocent child Layan." Al-Shaghdari concluded that these crimes are "war crimes and crimes against humanity."
Al-Shaghdari attributed these atrocities to a "dangerous ideological vengeance" driving the Houthi group, noting that their criminal acts extend beyond the Layan massacre to dozens of others against civilians, children, and women across various governorates. He warned that "this criminality against civilians will continue as long as this alien criminal ideology persists in Yemen."
The UN Security Council's Panel of Experts on Yemen previously described Houthi attacks on populated areas in Taiz and Marib as "systematic," aiming "to spread terror among the civilian population." Their 2022 report highlighted the Houthis' consistent disregard for the principles of distinction and civilian protection, a grave violation of international humanitarian law. The panel investigated eight incidents involving indiscriminate use of explosive ordnance in populated areas of Marib and Taiz, which killed 33 people, including eight children, and injured 51, including 11 children.
Beyond Mere Statistics: A Call for Justice
Jadea, from the Marib Human Rights Office, stressed that such crimes demand urgent international action for accountability and an end to impunity. "These crimes must not be silenced, nor should these massacres be treated merely as numbers in human rights reports," he urged via Bran Press to global human rights advocates.
He added, "The families of the victims are still awaiting justice, and the perpetrators remain at large, committing more violations." Jadea affirmed that "these crimes do not expire by statute of limitations, and it is our humanitarian duty to mobilize efforts to prosecute those responsible, amplify the voices of the victims, and promote a culture of accountability, so that such massacres do not recur."
Al-Shaghdari echoed this call, emphasizing that targeting civilians is universally condemned, especially during conflict, and that international humanitarian law strictly prohibits such acts. He called for commemorating this painful anniversary to advocate for the victims and their families, particularly for Layan, whose small body was torn apart by a Houthi missile.
He stated that "commemorating this anniversary revives historical memory and is a step towards achieving justice and retribution for the victims by pressuring relevant local and international bodies to take urgent legal action to ensure perpetrators are brought to justice." Al-Shaghdari underscored that "advocating for war victims, especially the most vulnerable – women and children – is a religious and moral duty for every human being."
Joy Tainted by Tragedy
In Marib, as in much of Yemen, Eid celebrations have long been overshadowed by bloodshed since the Houthi war escalated over a decade ago. Yet, the fuel station massacre remains unparalleled. Its agonizing details, particularly the image of Layan clinging to her burned father, resonated across Yemen and beyond.
The fourth anniversary of this devastating tragedy, falling on June 5, 2025, just before Eid al-Adha, casts a grim shadow over Yemeni celebrations. The horrific scenes remain etched in collective memory, serving as an enduring testament to growing brutality and a force seemingly devoid of laws, values, and ethics.
It's unimaginable how the victims' families can embrace Eid while reliving the anniversary of such a heinous crime – one that not only stole lives but burned victims alive, denying their families any chance of rescue or a proper farewell. For Layan's grieving family, the profound loss and heavy void persist. No occasion can bring them joy; instead, it renews their sorrow. Their grief extends beyond the mere loss to encompass the atrocity of the crime, the agonizing goodbyes, and the elusive justice. Above all, the perpetrators remain at large, continuing their crimes across the nation, often cloaked in false morality.