Sa'ada: Yesterday, Monday, the US launched a series of airstrikes on the governorates of Sa'ada, Amran, Sana'a, and Jawf, resulting in a tragic massacre at a shelter for African migrants in Sa'ada city.
According to Yemen News Agency, the US airstrikes targeted a shelter for African migrants in Sa'ada, which was under the supervision of the International Organization for Migration and the International Committee of the Red Cross. The attack resulted in the death and injury of 125 individuals in what is being described as a complete war crime.
The Ministry of Health and Environment reported that the attack in Sa'ada city led to the death of 60 and injury of 65 African migrants, based on a preliminary toll. In addition to the tragedy at the migrant shelter, the US conducted an airstrike on the Al-Mahader area in the Sahar district of Sa'ada governorate. Other areas targeted included the Bilad al-Rus district with one airstrike, and the Barash area in Sana'a governorate with four airstrikes, as well as Harf Sufyan district in Amran governorate and Bart al-Anan district in Jawf governorate, which each faced multiple airstrikes.
Local authorities in Sa'ada have condemned these acts, highlighting them as blatant violations of international laws and human rights. The National Committee for Refugee Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates declared the aggression as a war crime, violating several international conventions, including the 1949 Geneva Conventions and the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol.
The Ministry of Justice and Human Rights also condemned the incident, urging the United Nations and international community to take decisive action against ongoing US violations and to enforce respect for international law. Various parties and civil society organizations have echoed these sentiments, urging for an impartial international investigation into the attacks.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Yemen expressed grave concern over the airstrikes on the migrant detention center, noting that the number of casualties might increase as search and rescue operations continue. They emphasized the growing threat these airstrikes pose to the civilian population in Yemen.