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Yemeni coalition: militias of Houthis and ousted president lay quarter million landmines in Yemen

الأحد 12 مارس - آذار 2017 الساعة 06 مساءً / http://alislah-ye.net

 
March 12, 2017 – Geneva The Yemeni coalition for monitoring human rights violations on Tuesday released its second annual report on the human rights situation in Yemen over the past year 2016 on the sidelines of the 34th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva. In the meanwhile, The Yemeni Coalition documented that the Houthi and Saleh militias has used anti-personnel and anti-armor landmines in the conflict areas and many residential neighborhoods, main roads, pedestrian paths, and so on. It verified the killing of 289 persons in 2016 including 60 children and 16 women and the injury of 434 others including 58 children and 15 women. Taiz came first with the higher number of victims, while Mareb came second. The two governorates also came first in the number of landmines used in their territories The head of Wethaq organization, Najib al-Saadi, stated, "The Yemeni coalition has documented 527 civilian casualties who have been maimed, including 344 cases (32 children, 12 women) whose feet were amputated, while 175 others, including ten children and three women, have been deformed. Three cases and a child have been completely paralyzed, while four others, including two children, have lost their eyesight during the period from January 2016 to December 2016. Najib al-Saadi pointed out that efforts made by demining experts loyal to pro-President Hadi army are not enough to spare civilians from the threat of mines. According to al-Sa’adi, this shortcoming is attributed to that there are not sufficient means to cope with this problem, as the allocation of funds to demining is not commensurate with the amount of the laid landmines and the size of the mined area. Dozens of mines are planted on a daily basis in new areas, added al-Sa’adi. On the other hand, SAH Foundation for human rights recorded 519 cases of killing only in the southern provinces as well as 412 injuries- most of them are civilians, women and children- due to landmines Saleh-Houthi militias keep planting since they led their coup against the legitimate authority in September 2014. Secretary General of the Organization, Essam al-Sha’eri, has said that the militias marching from the north towards the south turned cities, villages, areas and roads of southern and eastern provinces into farms of landmines. Al-Sha’eri has also revealed that these militias have laid at least quarter million mines in the areas, which they are controlling or have already left. SAH, as he stated, has documented 109 children and women who were killed, maimed and injured, regarding that as grave violations against childhood committed by Saleh-Houthi militias. 2932 civilians were killed, while 17864 were wounded after Saleh-Houthi militias invaded the port city of Aden. 164 out of number of killings were killed in explosion of landmines planted by the militants. Doctors without borders (MSF) provided emergency medicine aid to 7270 men, 480 women and 1180 children, including disabled, who were affected by armed clashes, according to Al-Sha’eri. The Militias have committed many massacres such as massacres taken place in Tawahi, Dar Saad, Mansoura and Khor Maksar as well as the crime of university housing in al-She’ab and the bombing of fuel tanks affiliated to Aden Refinery. Additionally, 471 houses have been demolished, 11231 homes have been damaged, the province’s infrastructure has been destroyed, two schools have been entirely damaged and eight others have been partially affected. Landmines planted by the militias of Houthis and ousted president in Lahij province have killed 68 people including women and children. The total number of killings in the province has reached 1231people, while 2052 others were affected due to sniping and direct and deliberate targeting by Saleh-Houthi militia. 30 houses have been blown up, 322 others and public facilities have been damaged and destroyed, 12 schools and places of worship have been damaged. The militias have also laid thousands of mines in roads and residential areas located in Karesh, which is still witnessing military operations. In Dhale province, Houthi-Saleh landmines have killed seventeen people. Generally, 359 civilians have killed by the putschists the province and 1720 others have been injured, while battles are still ranging areas close to Dhale. Furthermore, health facilities and 8 educational schools and six places of worship and 528 houses have been destroyed and damaged. The number of victims who have been killed by landmines laid by Saleh-Houthi militias in Mareb province has reached 132 people, including 37 children. In al-Bayda province, 39 people, including children, have been killed while 117 others, including children and women, have been injured in explosion of landmines planted by Saleh-Houthi militia. For the province of Taiz, which is witnessing fierce battles between the militias and pro-government troops, 157 people have been killed in explosion of landmines laid the putschists.