Info Minister: The Qalis school crime in Bani Matar highlights Houthi militia’s militarization of education.

Tragic Incident at Al-Qalis School

In a vehement statement, Yemen’s Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism, Muammar Al-Eryani, condemned the horrific act committed by the Iran-backed Houthi militia, which resulted in the injury of 34 children, with five in critical condition. The tragedy unfolded following the detonation of an explosive device left over from a previous training session conducted by the militia at Al-Qalis School in the Bani Matar district of Sana’a Province, under the guise of the “Al-Aqsa Flood” course.

Exploitation of Educational Facilities

Al-Eryani’s statement highlighted the grim reality of the Houthi militia’s exploitation of the educational process and school facilities in areas under their control. He pointed out that the militia has been using schools and classrooms as headquarters, recruitment and training camps for armed conflict, and storage facilities for weapons, ammunition, mines, and explosive devices, showing a blatant disregard for the lives of innocent children.

Militia’s Denial and the Demand for International Condemnation

Further, Al-Eryani criticized the Houthi militia’s attempts to disassociate themselves from the crime by claiming the explosion was the result of war remnants. He refuted these claims by noting the local community’s awareness that the area had not witnessed military confrontations and was not a military zone. The school had remained open and continued to welcome students over the past years without being targeted or abandoned.

Al-Eryani called on the international community, the United Nations, human rights organizations, and child protection agencies, with UNICEF at the forefront, to issue a clear condemnation of this atrocious act. He urged for substantial pressure to be applied on the Houthi militia to halt the militarization of education and the endangerment of hundreds of thousands of children’s lives. He also advocated for immediate action to classify the group as a “global terrorist organization.”

International Response Urged

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges faced in Yemen, where educational facilities have become targets and the future of children is placed in jeopardy. The international community’s response to such violations is crucial in safeguarding children’s rights and ensuring that education remains a safe haven for learning and development, free from the scars of conflict.

 

To follow the news in Arabic