Houthi militias caused 9,382 civilian casualties in Taiz over 8 years, reports the American Center for Justice.

The American Center for Justice (ACJ) has revealed that the Houthi militias, backed by the Iranian regime, have been responsible for the deaths of 3,021 civilians and the injury of 6,361 others, including women and children, in the Taiz province due to sniping, direct shelling of the city, and landmine planting from March 2015 to December 2023.

In a report titled “The Siege of Taiz.. A Humanitarian Tragedy,” which was shared with the Yemeni News Agency (Saba), the ACJ detailed how the Houthi militias detained 477 individuals, subjected 79 others to enforced disappearances, and tortured 59. The majority of these victims were either arrested or abducted from alternate routes.

The center reviewed the major violations civilians have faced over the course of nine years and the catastrophic effects and repercussions on the population. These include the closure of main roads leading to the city from the east, west, and north, which resulted in a price increase of basic goods by up to 400% due to the difficulty of transporting goods through alternative routes, in addition to a significant rise in transportation fares.

The report documented the Houthi militias’ obstruction of 31 humanitarian aid convoys and the confiscation of 22 trucks carrying essential food and medical supplies for the city’s residents, diverting these resources to their war efforts. It also highlighted the targeting of health sector facilities in the province by the Houthi militias, noting the complete destruction of 3 health units, partial destruction of 3 hospitals and 22 health centers, and the cessation of operations in 13 health centers and 32 health units due to the displacement of medical staff and the lack of fuel. Three health sector workers died, two were injured, and 252 were forcibly displaced outside the city.

The report pointed out that the first year of the siege saw a lack of basic life necessities such as water, food, medicine, and oxygen in Taiz, documenting the deaths of 26 civilians, including 9 children and 7 women, due to the absence of oxygen in hospitals. Traffic accidents on alternative roads during the reported period resulted in 434 deaths and 1,026 injuries, with material losses exceeding two million dollars.

Furthermore, the war and siege led to the displacement of 44,749 families, totaling 214,693 individuals across 17 districts of the province. The Houthi militias’ actions also hindered water access to Taiz, which previously relied on it for 75% of its needs, and prevented the use of the city’s designated waste dump in the western area, causing trash accumulation in the streets during the first year of the siege and the spread of infectious diseases among the population.

The report also mentioned that the siege prevented kidney failure and cancer patients from receiving healthcare in the city’s only centers. Additionally, 20,621 university and technical institute students, as well as 32,000 school students, were affected by the siege and roadblocks, impeding their education. The siege led to a 500% increase in the prices of basic food items and medicines and a 1000% increase in transportation fares for individuals.

To follow the news in Arabic