Yemen asks UN to declare Houthis as a terrorist outfit

The Houthi militia destroyed 29,422 buildings, including 3,556 public properties such as schools, hospitals, water systems, power grids and telecommunications networks. Dr Mohammed Askar, Deputy Minister of Human Rights

paris — Yemen’s internationally-recognised government has demanded that the United Nations Security Council designate the rebel Houthi militia and militias headed by their ally, the now-deposed president Ali Abdullah Saleh, as terrorist organisations, and enforce its resolutions on Yemen, the official state news agency, Saba, reported on Saturday.

About 37,888 Yemeni citizens have been killed and injured by the Houthi militia in its war against the state. Of these 811 women, 1,002 children and 9,160 men were killed, and some 27,077 people were injured by the rebels, Dr Mohammed Askar, Deputy Minister of Human Rights, told a conference held to discuss the current situation in Yemen.

Among those injured were 3,875 women, 3,334 children and 19,868 men, Askar said.

Moreover, the Houthi militia destroyed the country’s infrastructure and converted schools and hospitals into military installations and training centres.

“The Houthi militis destroyed 29,422 buildings, including 3,556 public properties such as schools, hospitals, water systems, power grids and telecommunications networks. They blew up 25,865 homes, shops, vehicles, farms and factories.”

Askar said that the rebels inflicted mass punishment, including starvation, blowing up houses and besieging cities to block delivery of food aid and humanitarian relief to civilians.

“The rebel militias also kidnapped and detained 16,804 rights activists, journalists and academicians. Of these 13,938 people were victims of arbitrary arrests.”

The rebels also recruited children, minors and women to further fuel their aggression on legitimacy in Yemen, Askar added. —