The humanitarian situation in Yemen's Taiz governorate is worsening due to the ongoing Houthi blockade, with more than 50 civilians killed and dozens injured in the past four weeks, alongside the displacement of thousands of families to the city. This coincides with the spread of diseases due to waste accumulation, recording over 5,000 cases of epidemic and respiratory illnesses last October.
Victims of Shelling and Arrests
The Office of Blockade Affairs under the local authority in Taiz governorate announced the killing of four civilians and the injury of four others in a Houthi strike on a house in Al-athawr village, Heifan directorate. The office stated that the deceased were Mira Ali Abdul Haq (7 years old), Samaa Ali Abdul Haq (12 years old), Hayat Ali Abdul Haq (3 years old), and Abeer Abdul Da'im (35 years old). No immediate comment was issued by the Houthis regarding the incident.
For his part, Aiman Al-Kumali, director of the Taiz Center for Human Rights, said the center documented hundreds of violations against civilians in the past four weeks, noting that more than 50 civilians were killed due to shelling, sniping, and landmine explosions. He added that the group carried out widespread arrest campaigns targeting civilians in areas it recently controlled in the Western Rural directorates.
Waste Crisis and Diseases
On the health front, the Office of Blockade Affairs recorded 5,250 cases of epidemic, respiratory, and fever illnesses last October due to waste accumulation in streets and neighborhoods. The office attributed the worsening of the problem to the Houthis preventing the transport of waste to the temporary dump in the Al-Saleh Gardens area west of the city.
Taiz governorate's deputy for health affairs, Ilan Abdul Haq, accused the Houthis of preventing sanitation trucks from unloading their cargo, considering this to refute claims allowing trucks to pass. Ilan placed full responsibility for the health repercussions on the group, calling on the United Nations and the World Health Organization for urgent intervention.
Escalation of Military Displacement
Taiz governor, Nabil Shamsan, revealed that 6,400 families recently displaced to the city due to military escalation, raising the total number of displaced to 39,400 families. He clarified that the local authority is making efforts to provide shelter and aid amid the decline in basic services.
Taiz is witnessing a division in control, with government forces controlling the center while the Houthis have made progress in rural and coastal areas. Unofficial estimates indicate that the Houthis control more than 70 percent of the governorate's area, with military escalation continuing since last July, resulting in thousands of casualties.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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