Mass rally in Taiz demands end to siege, praises Saudi support for Yemen

Residents of Taiz province staged a large protest on Friday, denouncing the ongoing siege and violations committed by the Iran-backed Houthi militia against civilians, and demanding the opening of roads and relief from the humanitarian suffering facing the province.

According to an official statement, participants in the rally—which saw broad public and official attendance—carried banners condemning the crimes of siege, starvation, shelling, and sniper attacks. They called on the international community to take responsibility for the situation affecting more than 1.5 million civilians in the province.

The statement noted that Taiz city has suffered for years from the closure of roads and main crossings, culminating in the shutdown of the last vital artery to the city over three weeks ago. This move, it said, aims to strangle the city and block the entry of essential goods, relief supplies, medicines, and medical equipment, in a grave violation that uses siege as a tool to starve civilians.

The statement stressed that the continuation of these practices amounts to collective punishment and requires a serious and responsible response from the United Nations and the international community, especially as shelling, sniper attacks, and direct targeting of civilians—including women and children in residential neighborhoods and villages—continue to escalate.

Participants condemned the ongoing siege and the deprivation of residents’ freedom of movement and safe access to basic needs. They denounced the crimes of shelling, sniping, and systematic targeting of civilians, holding the Houthi militia responsible for these violations and their humanitarian, health, and social consequences, and demanding accountability for those responsible.

The statement called on the United Nations, the Security Council, the international community, and human rights and humanitarian organizations to move beyond expressions of concern and condemnation, and to take practical and serious steps to pressure for lifting the siege and opening all main roads for the movement of civilians, goods, and humanitarian aid without conditions, and to ensure the protection of the population.

Participants also renewed their appreciation for the political leadership, represented by President Rashad Mohammed Al-Alimi, Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council, its members, and the Prime Minister, praising their efforts to lift the siege on Taiz province and expressing hope for continued support for the liberation of the province and the complete lifting of the blockade.

They further called on all residents of the province, regardless of political or social affiliation, to unite and responsibly engage with this national and humanitarian cause.

The statement also condemned the direct targeting of civilian sites in Saudi Arabia and attempts by the Houthi militia to target the holy sites in Makkah and Madinah, affirming that Saudi Arabia represents Yemen’s strategic depth and commending its ongoing support for Yemen and its people.

The statement concluded by affirming that Taiz has long endured the siege and will continue to stand firm and uphold its right to freedom and dignity until the province and all of Yemen achieve security, freedom, peace, and dignity.

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