A press, media, and human rights conference was held today at the site of the US aggression crime, which targeted a detention center for African migrants in Saada Governorate.
The conference was attended by senior state officials, human rights advocates, representatives from civil society organizations, and leaders of African communities in Yemen to shed light on this heinous crime and its dangerous repercussions.
The attack, which killed 65 African migrants and injured 68 others, has sparked widespread outrage among Yemeni leaders and human rights advocates.
During the conference, Hamid Mahmal, a representative of the local authorities, denounced the strike in a speech, noting that the targeted shelter was a known refuge for African migrants and regularly visited by international organizations.
He held the US administration responsible, describing the incident as a “full-fledged crime.”
Mahmal also pointed out that this was not the first such attack—citing a similar US-Saudi strike on the same facility in January 2021 that caused hundreds of casualties.
For his part, Ismail al-Khashab, the representative of the National Committee for Refugee Affairs echoed these sentiments, stating that the US’s attacks constitute a flagrant violation of international law and amount to war crimes.
He condemned the continued silence of the UN Security Council and other international bodies, asserting that such inaction only emboldens further aggression. Al-Khashab urged global human rights organizations to take a firmer stance.
Lieutenant Colonel Hussein al-Kebsi, Director of Follow-up at the Immigration and Passports Authority, called the attack a breach of agreements meant to protect migrants.
He warned that the lack of international accountability encourages continued assaults under the pretense of targeting military objectives.
Representing African communities in Yemen, Ramadan Youssef described the attack as “deliberate and premeditated,” and appealed to African governments to pressure the US and Israel to cease such aggression, which he said has devastating consequences for both foreign nationals and local residents.
Civil society organizations also condemned the attack.
Abdullah Musa, speaking on their behalf, called it a war crime and a clear violation of the Geneva Conventions.
He urged local and international bodies to document the incident and pursue justice against those responsible.
Brigadier General Khalil Al-Nuaimi, Director of Care and Rehabilitation at the Ministry of Interior, underscored that the US and international organizations were well aware of the shelter’s existence, making the strike a gross violation of human rights.
In the same context, Ali Tayseer, head of the Human Rights Sector at the Ministry of Justice, condemned the ongoing misinformation campaign by the US and its Western allies regarding their role in Yemen.
He described the attack as an act of genocide and referenced the 2021 assault, which left more than 300 people dead or injured.
Tayseer called on the international organization to uphold its legal and moral responsibilities to protect civilians, investigate the committed crimes, and hold the perpetrators accountable.
