The Taiz Network for Rights and Freedoms strongly condemned the grave crimes and serious violations committed by the armed formations affiliated with the Saudi enemy, which resulted in the martyrdom of two citizens by sniper fire and artillery shelling in the districts of Saber Al-Mawadim and Khadir in Taiz Governorate.

In a statement issued by the network, it explained that its field monitoring teams documented a direct targeting incident involving one of the civilians in the Al-Kuraifat area of Saber Al-Mawadim District, following the opening of fire with medium weapons and sniper rifles by the Saudi enemy’s mercenaries. The incident resulted in the martyrdom of citizen Mohammed Abdullah Ali Saif, 60, after he was shot in the head.

It noted that the second crime occurred on the same day in the Wadi Al-Hussein area of Khadir District, after the area came under artillery shelling by the same formations affiliated with the Saudi enemy. The shelling resulted in the martyrdom of citizen Abdulrahman Othman Ali Nasser, 48, while he was in his farm carrying out his ordinary work.

The network’s Legal Administration affirmed that these two crimes constitute a flagrant violation of the rules of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

It pointed out that the deliberate targeting of civilians constitutes an explicit violation of the international obligation requiring a complete distinction between civilian objects and military targets. It further stated that the use of excessive force through sniper fire and artillery shelling against civilians represents a blatant assault on the legal protection guaranteed to the civilian population in armed conflicts, as well as an unlawful infringement upon their inherent right to life.

The network affirmed that all the legal elements demonstrating deliberate and indiscriminate targeting are present, which legally elevates the two incidents to the level of war crimes requiring the criminal prosecution of those responsible.

The Taiz Network held the Saudi enemy and its mercenaries fully legally and criminally responsible for these crimes, calling on the concerned authorities to complete the preservation of evidence, collect testimonies, and refer the files concerning the violations to the competent courts.