Yemeni organizations warn of Houthi recruitment of child soldiers

Civil society organizations in Yemen have issued a warning about the escalating abuses by Houthi militias, including the recruitment of children and the exploitation of African migrants. These groups highlighted the use of child soldiers, their deployment on battlefields, and the mistreatment of migrants. They cited attacks on residential areas, civilian infrastructure, and maritime routes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

The statement, released by the Yemeni News Agency SABA, detailed numerous violations, such as killings, abductions, arbitrary detention, forced displacement, and the targeting of civilian sites. Cases of children being recruited, especially during recent Houthi offensives, were also reported. The organizations are coordinating efforts to care for these child detainees and are advocating for the UN and Security Council to take action against child recruitment and migrant exploitation.

They also urged all parties to stop threats to international navigation and to take legal and diplomatic steps to protect shipping routes.