Yemeni army accuses Houthis of mutilating soldiers’ bodies with chemicals, calls for international probe

The official spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Colonel Majed Al-Nazili, has accused the Houthi group of mutilating the bodies of several soldiers killed on the Taiz frontlines. He called on the United Nations and human rights organizations to launch an independent investigation to identify those responsible and hold them accountable, stressing that the crime will not be forgotten over time.

In a statement, Al-Nazili said that the medical team at the military hospital in Taiz documented deliberate mutilation of the bodies, which were handed over to Yemeni authorities via the International Committee of the Red Cross. The bodies reportedly showed signs of being burned with chemical substances, as well as broken limbs and disfigured faces.

The military spokesperson described these acts as a violation of the sanctity of the dead and a breach of Yemeni tribal customs, adding that such behavior is foreign to Yemeni society and rejected by tribes from Saada to Al-Mahrah.

According to the statement, these practices also contradict the Yemeni constitution, which designates Islamic law as the source of all legislation, and violate the Military Crimes and Penalties Law, which classifies attacks on protected persons as war crimes that do not expire over time.

Al-Nazili added that the incident constitutes, in his words, a violation of Common Article 3 of the four Geneva Conventions, the Second Additional Protocol, and Rule 113 of customary international humanitarian law.

The spokesperson cited previous incidents in which the Houthis were accused of abusing soldiers’ bodies, including the 2020 killing of Brigadier General Hussein Al-Asimi, commander of the 161st Infantry Brigade, who was reportedly tortured and burned with acid after being captured wounded, despite Houthi media showing him alive and in good health.

He also referenced a 2023 incident in which the Houthis allegedly handed over the bodies of soldiers captured alive in Al-Jawf, after executing and burning them beyond recognition. He said these incidents represent a pattern of abuse, holding the group fully responsible for the latest case.

Al-Nazili called on Yemeni scholars and tribal leaders across all provinces, including those under Houthi control, to take a stand on the incident. He also urged the United Nations and human rights organizations to launch an independent investigation to identify and prosecute those responsible, stressing that such crimes "will not be forgotten or expire over time."

The military spokesperson affirmed that these crimes will only strengthen the armed forces’ resolve to continue fighting until Yemen is fully liberated and state authority is restored nationwide. He concluded his statement by praying for the martyrs, wishing a speedy recovery to the wounded, and victory for Yemen and its people.