[24/10/2026 11:57]

BRUSSELS-SABA

Participants in a protest outside the European Parliament in Brussels called on the European Union to exert effective pressure on the Iran-backed Houthi terrorist militia to end its siege of Taiz, permanently and safely reopen main roads, ensure freedom of movement for civilians and the delivery of goods and humanitarian aid, and facilitate the transfer of patients and wounded people to healthcare facilities without obstruction.

In a statement issued at the protest, organized by the Yemeni community in Brussels with the participation of Yemeni academics, human rights activists and journalists from the Netherlands and Belgium under the slogan “Lift the Siege on Taiz, Stop the Houthi Threat,” participants stressed the need for effective measures to protect civilians, investigate violations and hold those responsible accountable under international law.

Addressed to the heads and members of EU institutions, particularly the European Parliament, European Commission and European External Action Service, the statement emphasized the importance of protecting affected people and meeting their basic needs for shelter, food, water and healthcare. It also called for support for efforts to create conditions enabling displaced people to return voluntarily, safely and with dignity to their homes.

The statement further called for effective measures to counter threats to the security of Yemen and the region and to international shipping, safeguard maritime corridors and global trade routes, unify European positions and actions regarding violations committed against Yemenis by the Houthi terrorist militia, and strengthen efforts to support human rights, the rule of law and Yemen’s state institutions.

“We, the participants in this protest outside the European Parliament in Brussels, address you through this statement to highlight part of the humanitarian tragedy endured by Yemenis amid the ongoing siege of Taiz and escalating Houthi attacks targeting civilians in several governorates, as well as the threat these practices pose to human rights and regional security and stability,” the statement said.

“The tragedy in Yemen cannot be reduced to figures and reports. It is reflected in children killed in shelling, mothers who have lost their sons, families forced to flee their homes, and civilians deprived of their most basic rights to security, freedom of movement and a dignified life,” the participants added.

The statement noted that the siege was not the only source of suffering for Taiz residents. Residential neighborhoods have also been shelled with rockets and artillery, with ballistic missiles reportedly used in some attacks. These attacks have killed and injured civilians, including women and children, and damaged homes and property.

The participants highlighted a particularly distressing incident illustrating the scale of the humanitarian crisis, in which a mother in Taiz was forced to carry her daughter’s body on her shoulders after the girl was killed in Houthi shelling, as the siege left her unable to find transportation.

They also pointed to Houthi attacks in other Yemeni governorates, including Aden, Shabwa, Marib, Lahj and Mukalla. These areas have come under attacks involving missiles, drones and other weapons, resulting in casualties and damage to facilities and property. The participants said these incidents warranted investigation and accountability.

The statement also addressed widespread displacement amid the latest military escalation by the Houthi terrorist militia. Citing reports attributed to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, it said more than 250,000 people had been displaced since early August 2026, including tens of thousands from Taiz Governorate.

The violations, the statement added, also include ideological and economic restrictions imposed on people in Houthi-controlled areas, the withholding of salaries, restrictions on religious freedom and freedom of expression, the imprisonment of people for expressing their views, and the forced involvement of civilians in wars that do not concern them.

The participants stressed that the Houthi threat was no longer confined to Yemen, extending to the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait, where attacks and threats against international shipping and commercial vessels had undermined the security of global trade routes and threatened regional and international stability.

They concluded that these developments placed the international community, particularly the European Union, under a political and humanitarian obligation to move beyond expressions of concern and take concrete action to protect civilians, end the siege and support accountability for violations.

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