A human rights report documents serious violations committed by the Houthi militia against the residents of Hanakat Al Masoud in Al Bayda

An extensive human rights report issued by SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties revealed serious violations committed by the Houthi group against the residents of the Hanakat Al Masoud area in Al Bayda Governorate during January 2025.

The report, entitled “The Al Masoud clan’s shrewdness… cries buried under the rubble,” referred to a violent military campaign carried out by the Houthi group against the population, which included intensive aerial and artillery bombardment, the imposition of a stifling siege, arbitrary arrests, looting of property, and violations against women and children.

The report, which consists of ten sections, reviewed the general context of the events, the motives for the military campaign, details of the days of the attack, in addition to the violations committed, the effects of the campaign, mediation efforts, the positions of the local and international community, and recommendations for addressing this humanitarian crisis.

The report said that Al Bayda Governorate has witnessed repeated military escalation by the Houthi group since 2014, as the group carried out military campaigns against the villages of Qifah, including the villages of Khabza, Al-Zoub, and Hamat Sarar, which led to hundreds of civilian casualties and the destruction of dozens of homes.

In January 2025, the Houthi group targeted the Hanakat Al Masoud area, which is one of the largest population centers in the Al Qurayshiyah Directorate, with a population of about 10,000 people and about 1,800 residential buildings.

The report indicated that the motives behind the Houthi group's military campaign in the region come within the framework of the group's attempt to impose its absolute control over Al Bayda, after the residents refused to implement its demands to hand over people the group described as "wanted."

Arbitrary arrests: More than 500 civilians, including the elderly and children, were arrested, some of whom were transferred to unknown prisons without any legal justification.

The report indicated that the Houthi armed campaign caused a humanitarian disaster and severe economic damage, as hundreds of residents lost their livelihoods due to the destruction of their farms and the imposition of a stifling siege on them. The bombing and armed conflict also forced hundreds of families to be forcibly displaced in search of safety, which increased the suffering of the population in light of the difficult living conditions.

The report referred to the efforts of tribal mediation, led by Sheikh Hussein Ahmed Hussein Jaroun, which sought to negotiate with the Houthi group to stop the military campaign, as the people offered to hand over some of the wanted persons to avoid escalation, but the Houthis refused and continued their military campaign.

Later, the mediation committee reached an agreement to release the detainees and compensate the affected residents, but the Houthi group did not abide by the agreement and is still holding dozens of detainees to this day.

The report listed local and international reactions to the armed campaign, as the United States, France and the United Kingdom strongly condemned the Houthi attack on civilians, considering these violations unacceptable and requiring accountability for those responsible.

International human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and SAM, also called for an independent investigation into the crimes committed, stressing the need to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches those affected.

SAM called on the international community to immediately lift the siege on the Hanakat Al Masoud area, ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid, open a transparent international investigation into the crimes committed, and refer those responsible to the International Criminal Court.

It also called for diplomatic pressure on the Houthi group to force it to respect international law, support efforts to document violations, and intensify advocacy campaigns to protect civilians in Yemen.

The organization concluded by stressing that what happened in Hanakat Al Masoud is one of the worst crimes witnessed by Yemen in recent years, amidst disturbing international silence. As the human suffering continues, the question remains: How long will violations against civilians remain unaccounted for?