The General Authority for Marine Sciences Research and Aquatic Life condemned the brutal massacre committed by the Saudi enemy’s aircraft through targeting two traditional fishing boats off the coast of Al-Kadha in Dhubab District, Taiz Governorate, which resulted in the martyrdom of eight fishermen.

In a statement, the Authority affirmed that the massacre comes within the context of systematic crimes targeting the marine fishing sector and destroying the means of livelihood of fishermen. It considered the incident a war crime and a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and international conventions that guarantee the protection of civilians.

The statement pointed out that targeting fishermen while they were seeking to secure their livelihoods and provide for their families reflects the Saudi enemy’s deliberate attempt to expand the scope of targeting civilians and their sources of livelihood. It warned of the humanitarian and economic consequences of terrorizing fishermen, destroying their boats, and depriving their families of sources of income and food.

The Authority held the Saudi enemy fully responsible for the massacre and its repercussions, including legal, criminal, political, moral, and financial responsibility. It stressed the necessity of holding accountable all those who planned, carried out, participated in, or provided cover for this heinous crime.

It noted that targeting fishermen and destroying their boats exacerbates the suffering of coastal communities and threatens the livelihood security of families dependent on marine fishing. It emphasized the need to ensure justice for the families of the martyrs and the wounded and to compensate those affected for the human, material, and economic losses resulting from the crime.

The Authority called on the United Nations, the Human Rights Council, and UN and human rights organizations to condemn the massacre, establish an independent international investigative committee to investigate the crime and hold those responsible accountable, and work to end the aggression, siege, and attacks targeting civilians and their sources of livelihood.