Yemen risks return to ‘full-scale conflict’, warns UN rights chief

GENEVA: The United Nations' top human rights official has warned that Yemen faces the prospect of returning to a "full-scale conflict" due to increasing violence between government forces and Houthi rebels. Volker Turk, the UN rights chief, expressed grave concern over the rising number of civilian casualties in the ongoing hostilities.

Since August 6, 2026, at least seven civilians have been killed and ten others wounded in Houthi attacks on government-held territories, according to the UN rights office. Two civilians also suffered injuries in Houthi shelling on residential areas and displacement camps in the same region.

Turk emphasized the need to de-escalate tensions and spare the Yemeni people from further suffering, noting that the country has already endured a devastating legacy of conflict, displacement, and humanitarian crises. He called for an immediate halt to any actions that could reignite full-scale war in Yemen.

In recent days, the Houthis have launched their deadliest attacks in years, targeting government-controlled areas, mainly in the oil-rich Marib province. At least 58 government troops were killed in these assaults, according to a military source, while two civilians were killed in Houthi shelling on residential areas and displacement camps in Marib.

Turk also highlighted the impact of Houthi missile and drone attacks on civilian infrastructure, including a port in the Red Sea and a cargo ship in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. These attacks have resulted in the deaths of port workers and crew members from Pakistan and Indonesia, as well as injuries to several others.

Moreover, Turk stressed that multiple civilian sites have been hit in the attacks, exacerbating the suffering of at least 18 million Yemenis who are already food insecure. He reiterated that these attacks must cease immediately to prevent further humanitarian catastrophe.