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Rocket and mortar attacks in Yemen’s Taiz condemned by UN rights office

Just Earth News 11 Jun 2016

#Rocket   #mortar   #Yemen UNICEF   #Taiz   #OHCHR   #  

Rocket and mortar attacks in Yemen’s Taiz condemned by UN rights office

UNICEF/Mahyoob

New York, June 11 (Just Earth News):The United Nations human rights office on Friday strongly condemned a series of rocket and mortar attacks against several residential areas and markets in Taiz, Yemen, since last Friday, which killed 18 civilians including seven children, and injured 68 others.

“Several markets were hit while full of people who were shopping ahead of Ramadan,” said Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, at a press briefing in Geneva.

According to several victims injured during an attack near the Delux Market on 3 June, the shelling originated from the Tabat Al-Sofitel hill, in the eastern part of the city of Taiz, which is currently under the control of the Popular Committees affiliated with the Houthis and forces loyal to former President Saleh.

The shelling on civilian areas reportedly continued until the evening of 4 June and restarted on the 6th, when several houses in the Al Ta’iziyah and Al-Qahirah districts were hit, killing three civilians and injuring twelve others, including nine children.

Another very serious incident took place in the early hours of 8 June when a school near the Al-Thawrah hospital was hit, killing five people, including three children.

“All victims belonged to a marginalized community, the Al-Muhamasheen, and had taken refuge in the school after having been forced to flee their homes due the ongoing violence. According to eyewitnesses, the shelling also came from the Tabat Al-Sofitel Hill,”  Shamdasani said.

Since 26 March 2015 and up to 8 June 2016, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has documented a total of 3,539 civilians killed and 6,268 injured.