https://dg.samrl.org/l?e5566 

SAM |

Introduction

In 2025, Al-Mawiya District in Taiz Governorate emerged as one of the Yemeni regions most severely affected by recurrent and grave violations against its civilian population. These violations occurred under the complex security and humanitarian conditions created by the Houthi group’s control over large parts of the district. The abuses documented include the imposition of a suffocating siege on villages and populated areas, systematic forced displacement, raids and arrests targeting community leaders, educators, and members of local councils, as well as the use of civilians as human shields in military zones.

I. Background to the Violations

In the final months of 2025, Al-Mawiya witnessed an alarming escalation in abuses by the Houthi group against civilians. These included a complete blockade on several villages, organised forced displacement, direct targeting of educators and community leaders, and the militarisation of populated areas. The district’s geographic location along frontlines exacerbated its vulnerability, making it a focal point for such practices, with devastating consequences for the local population.

One incident illustrating the human toll was the death of Fahmiyah Shaif Masad, as recounted by her cousin, Abdulwahab Ali Masra:

“At around 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, 31 July 2025, Fahmiyah went into labour and began to experience severe bleeding. She suffered for nearly six hours, from 7:00 p.m. until 1:00 a.m. on Friday, 1 August. Her family was unable to transport her to the nearest health centre due to the blockade imposed by the Houthis on Jabal Tanasim and neighbouring villages, including Al-Obaid in Al-Qubaita District. Vehicle movement was prohibited after 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Despite repeated pleas to Houthi fighters to allow her evacuation, permission was denied. As a result of this delay and the repeated refusals, Fahmiyah died at 1:00 a.m. from severe haemorrhaging, without receiving the urgent medical care she needed.”

This case exemplifies the life-threatening consequences of the siege, which deprives civilians of urgent medical care and restricts their movement in ways that result in preventable deaths.

Abduljabar Al-Sarari, Director General of Al-Mawiya District, described the situation as follows:

“For over two consecutive months, Al-Mawiya has been subjected to abuses across all sectors. In education, militias have raided schools and arrested teachers, principals, and local council members. Doctors and students have also been targeted. Two months ago, the Houthis forcibly displaced residents from villages near Al-Musaymir, particularly from parts of Khadeer and Al-Mawiya close to Karash and Al-Musaymir. This caused numerous hardships, including arrests, forced displacement, and a siege preventing women and children from accessing healthcare. There have been previous deaths of children who could not be taken to medical facilities.”

His testimony underscores that the siege is not a temporary measure but an ongoing policy affecting all aspects of life, with disproportionate harm to vulnerable groups, especially women and children, in violation of basic rights under international law.

II. Affected Villages and Demographics

Field data collected by SAM for Rights and Liberties, corroborated by witness statements and local officials, show that the Houthis’ forced displacement operations in Al-Mawiya and neighbouring areas targeted specific villages, driving hundreds of families from their homes into more dangerous zones used for military purposes.

Documented affected villages include:

• Al-Najd, Hawamira Sub-district, Al-Mawiya: At least 50 families (approx. 350 individuals) displaced.
• Al-Akhiram, Hawamira Sub-district, Al-Mawiya: 18 families (approx. 126 individuals) displaced.
• Al-Farasha, Khadeer District: 55 families (approx. 385 individuals) displaced.
• Al-Ta’na, Hawamira Sub-district, Al-Mawiya: 60 families (approx. 420 individuals) displaced.

Total: 183 families, at least 1,281 individuals — with actual figures likely closer to 1,500, given average household sizes in these areas.

Al-Sarari confirmed that three villages in Hawamira and others in Khadeer were emptied, with many displaced to Al-Mazra’a in Warzan under coercion. Some were compelled to work there, while others fled due to the proximity of military positions.

Witnesses reported being driven out at gunpoint, without time to collect belongings, and relocated to zones containing rocket launch pads and entrenched military positions — exposing them to imminent danger.

III. Nature of the Violations

Evidence shows that the forced displacement was systematic, carried out with armed coercion and absent any legitimate humanitarian or security justification, making it a direct violation of international humanitarian law (IHL).

According to Al-Sarari:

“The displacement began with four villages — three in Hawamira and one in Khadeer — all on frontline areas. Residents were moved to Warzan, near rocket launch platforms and military sites. This is not the first time; it is part of a series of displacements, raids, and arrests ongoing for more than two months.”

Residents reported that Houthi fighters stormed villages, ordering immediate evacuation without allowing the retrieval of personal items. Many displaced persons were then placed in militarised zones, effectively being used as human shields. Some, especially young men, were forced into military labour such as digging trenches and transporting equipment. Others were detained and compelled to attend indoctrination sessions.

The siege on Jabal Tanasim and surrounding villages, which led directly to Fahmiyah Shaif Masad’s death, illustrates the broader pattern: a combination of forced displacement, siege tactics, obstruction of medical care, and militarisation of civilian areas.

IV. Humanitarian Impact

The violations in Al-Mawiya have had catastrophic consequences:

1. Right to Life and Health: The blockade has denied residents access to emergency care, with Fahmiyah’s death being the most tragic example.
2. Exposure to Armed Conflict: Displaced families were relocated to active military zones, heightening the risk of death or injury from attacks.
3. Loss of Education: Displacement has cut off children from schooling, with no alternative provision.
4. Economic Devastation: Families have lost farmland, livestock, and livelihoods, becoming fully dependent on irregular humanitarian aid.
5. Psychological Harm: Reports include depression among mothers, chronic anxiety in children, and the absence of mental health support in displacement sites.
6. Social Isolation: Travel restrictions and road closures have severed family connections and blocked access to markets and urban centres.

V. Legal Classification

These acts constitute grave breaches of IHL and amount to war crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court:

• Forced Displacement: Violates Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits collective or individual forcible transfers unless required for civilian safety — conditions absent here.
• Use of Human Shields: Breaches Article 28 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which forbids using protected persons to shield military objectives from attack.
• Siege and Denial of Aid: Violates Article 55 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, requiring provision of food and medical supplies, as well as the right to life and health under the ICCPR and ICESCR.

Combined, these acts meet the definition of war crimes under Article 8(2)(b)(xxiii) of the Rome Statute.

VI. Responsibility

The Houthi group, as the de facto authority in the affected areas, bears full and direct responsibility for these violations. Testimonies indicate that the abuses were not isolated incidents but part of a deliberate, centrally directed policy targeting specific communities for control and subjugation. Responsibility extends to both field operatives and the political/military leadership that ordered, condoned, or failed to prevent these crimes.

VII. Urgent Recommendations

To the United Nations and Human Rights Council:

• Launch an immediate, transparent international investigation into the siege, forced displacement, and use of human shields in Al-Mawiya.
• Include these incidents in Security Council reports and identify perpetrators for international accountability.

To the International Criminal Court:

• Incorporate these cases into ongoing investigations as war crimes under the Rome Statute.
• Pursue both direct perpetrators and those in command responsibility.

To the ICRC and Humanitarian Organisations:

• Deploy rapid assessment teams to affected villages and displacement sites.
• Provide urgent aid: emergency medical care, psychosocial support, shelter, food, and clean water.

To the International Community:

• Apply diplomatic and political pressure on the Houthi group to lift the siege immediately, restore freedom of movement, and remove military installations from civilian areas.

To Yemeni Civil Society:

• Continue systematic documentation of violations.
• Provide legal and humanitarian assistance to affected families and facilitate their access to justice mechanisms.

Conclusion

The events in Al-Mawiya are emblematic of the worst patterns of Yemen’s armed conflict — civilians trapped between frontlines, denied medical care, driven from their homes, and placed in harm’s way as tools of war. The death of Fahmiyah Shaif Masad, the uprooting of hundreds of families, and the deliberate use of human shields are not accidental tragedies but part of a systematic strategy that shreds the social and humanitarian fabric of the region.

SAM for Rights and Liberties stresses that protecting civilians in Yemen is not merely a humanitarian imperative — it is a legal and moral obligation on the international community. Immediate action is required to end these crimes, hold those responsible to account, and provide justice and redress to the victims.