War Crime.. Human Rights Watch denounces Houthi crimes in Hanakat Al Masoud and denies victims’ connection to terrorism

Human Rights Watch condemned the crimes of the Houthi militia in Hankat Al Masoud in Al Bayda Governorate (central Yemen) last January, and said that they amounted to "war crimes", denying the victims' connection to the terrorist organization ISIS or its presence in the area.

The organization said in a statement on Thursday that between January 5 and 12, 2025, Houthi forces attacked several civilian homes and other civilian infrastructure in Hanakat Al Masoud in Al Bayda, which is under their control.

She added that the attacks resulted in the killing of several people and wounding dozens. Houthi forces also arrested hundreds of people from the village and are holding many of them without charge.

“The Houthis have inflicted significant harm on Yemeni civilians,” said Niko Jafarnia, Yemen and Bahrain researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Repeated Houthi attacks on civilians under their control should be independently investigated, and the international community should take more serious steps to ensure accountability and enhance protection for Yemeni civilians.”

The organization explained that it conducted interviews with four people, including a family member of one of the victims and two human rights activists who were following the situation, and verified videos and photos posted on Facebook, X, and YouTube, and analyzed high- and low-resolution satellite images, about the events that took place in the region.

Human Rights Watch reported that interviewees confirmed that “the Houthis used drones, armored vehicles, missiles, and small arms and light weapons to attack civilians and civilian objects.” It was able to visually verify that the Houthis used small arms and light weapons in the attacks.

The organization quoted “Mohammed,” whose family name was withheld for his safety, as saying that his uncle, whom he described as a civilian, was killed in his home during the attack. “They took his body and refused to hand it over,” he said. He also knew of five others who were also killed in the attacks, noting that while it could not verify their deaths, the Yemeni rights group SAM reported that 15 people were killed in the attacks.

Mohammed added that he learned from family and friends in the area that “Houthi forces looted homes, and stole large sums of money, gold and personal weapons.”

A human rights activist from the area told the organization that he had gathered information from residents that the Houthis had destroyed civilian homes and attacked civilians in the village, and that dozens of families had been displaced as a result of the attacks. Meanwhile, SAM documented the destruction of 10 homes, the burning of a mosque and a religious school, in addition to looting and the arbitrary detention of hundreds of civilians.

The organization said its researchers verified videos and photos posted online showing men in camouflage uniforms and carrying rifles setting fire to a two-story building. They also analyzed high-resolution satellite imagery taken on January 18 over Hankat al-Masoud that showed signs of fire on the roof of the building. A second building about 220 meters southeast of the two-story building showed signs of extensive damage.

Human Rights Watch quoted SAM and people it interviewed as saying that the Houthis imposed a four-day siege on the village, not allowing food or medicine into the area. They have also cut off and restricted internet and communications in the area intermittently since January 5.

The organization refuted the allegations of the Houthis and the Houthi Interior Ministry about the victims’ connection to ISIS, which admitted to kidnapping dozens and killing many of them. The organization said, “Human Rights Watch did not find any evidence that the dead, wounded, or detainees were ISIS members, or that ISIS elements were present in the village.”

The organization reported a number of Houthi crimes in Al Bayda governorate over the past years, including the bombing of a house in the Al-Hofrah neighborhood in Radaa on March 19, 2024, which resulted in the killing of nine civilians - all from one family, including children - and wounding at least seven others. The organization said the Houthis acknowledged the incident and committed to providing compensation to the affected families.

“The Houthis have repeatedly shown their willingness to kill and arbitrarily detain Yemenis living in areas under their control,” Jafarnia said. “Statements and apologies will never make up for the loss of civilian lives.”

“The Houthis must immediately stop their attacks on civilians, release all detainees, lift the media blackout on Al Bayda entirely, and compensate the victims and their families,” she added.