Somali refugee killed in Houthi shelling of Kharaz camp in Yemen

The Yemeni Ministry of Human Rights has announced that a Somali refugee was killed in a Houthi militia shelling of the Kharaz camp in Lahij province, southern Yemen, last Thursday. The ministry warned of the impact of such attacks on the safety of refugees and civilians, amid ongoing military escalation and shelling targeting residential areas in Aden, Lahij, and Taiz.

In a statement, the ministry condemned the shelling of the refugee camp, describing the incident as "deeply concerning for the safety and protection of refugees." The ministry also denounced the continued Houthi missile attacks and shelling of residential areas and civilian gatherings in the three provinces, calling them "a grave violation of international humanitarian law and the principles of civilian protection."

The ministry noted that missile attacks targeting the interim capital Aden on Wednesday and Friday evenings were part of an ongoing military escalation, coinciding with repeated shelling of citizens’ homes and farms in the districts of Al-Misrakh and Saber Al-Mawadem in Taiz province.

It stressed that targeting civilians and civilian objects and launching indiscriminate attacks are prohibited under international humanitarian law and amount to war crimes, holding the Houthi militia fully responsible for these attacks.

The ministry called on the international community to take effective measures to stop the violations, protect civilians, and ensure accountability for those responsible. It affirmed its commitment to monitoring and documenting Houthi violations and gathering information on recent attacks, in coordination with relevant authorities and national mechanisms for investigation and accountability, to ensure justice, redress, and compensation for victims and their families.