[15/03/2026 10:23]

ADEN – SABA
The Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms strongly condemned the horrific crime committed by the Houthi terrorist militias on Sunday evening in Hairan District of Hajjah Governorate.

The attack involved artillery and missile shelling that targeted a civilian gathering while residents were having their Ramadan iftar meal, constituting a serious and blatant violation of international humanitarian law and the principles of civilian protection during armed conflicts.

In a statement received by Yemen News Agency (Saba), the Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms reported that the brutal shelling resulted in the killing of at least eight civilians, including children, and the injury of more than thirty others with varying degrees of injuries.

The number of victims is expected to rise due to the severity of the explosion and the seriousness of the injuries, in addition to the dismemberment of some victims’ remains because of the intensity of the bombardment.

According to the statement, based on information received by the network’s field team in Hajjah Governorate, the Iranian-backed Houthi militias targeted the courtyard of citizen Adel Junaid’s gathering place in Hairan District after conducting prior surveillance using a drone.

A number of residents had gathered there to share the Ramadan iftar meal, reflecting the spirit of social solidarity during the holy month of Ramadan.

The Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms stressed that targeting civilian gatherings during iftar time in Ramadan constitutes a full-fledged war crime and reflects a repeated pattern of serious violations committed by Houthi militias against civilians across various Yemeni governorates.

The network noted that such acts represent a clear violation of international humanitarian law, particularly the principles of distinction, proportionality, and protection of civilians as stipulated in the Geneva Conventions and customary international law.

The network also emphasized that using drones for surveillance to identify civilian gatherings and then directly targeting them amounts to a deliberate attack on civilians, which constitutes a grave crime requiring international criminal accountability.

It called for a clear international condemnation of the attack, serious international pressure to halt attacks against civilians in Yemen, urgent measures to protect civilians in conflict areas, and ensuring that perpetrators do not escape punishment.

The network also called on the international community, the Human Rights Council, and the United Nations to assume their legal and moral responsibilities regarding the ongoing violations against Yemeni civilians.

The Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms renewed its full solidarity with the families of the victims and the injured, affirming that such crimes will not be subject to statutes of limitation and that documenting them and pursuing their perpetrators will remain a legal and humanitarian duty until justice is achieved for the victims.

Al-Taqqasi Organization for Development and Human Rights also condemned the massacre committed by the Houthi militias in Hairan District of Hajjah Governorate, which targeted civilians gathered for the iftar meal.

In its statement, the organization reported that the missile attack resulted in the killing of eight civilians and the injury of more than 22 others, including children, in an initial toll that may increase.

It stressed that targeting civilians while they gather for iftar during Ramadan constitutes a war crime and a blatant violation of international humanitarian law.

The organization called on the United Nations to condemn the crime and investigate it, and urged humanitarian organizations to quickly provide medical assistance to the wounded and support to the victims’ families.

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