Yemen: Protection Cluster Update (September 2019)

SITUATION OVERVIEW

The conflict continued to affect civilians on daily basis and impact critical infrastructures. Dhamar witnessed one of the deadliest incidents in the whole conflict after an airstrike targeted a prison and killed more than 150 civilians. During August and September, the dynamics in the South, mainly Aden has changed. Civilians were caught in conflict following the assassination of a Southern Transitional Council leader. IDPs, especially those from northern areas, faced restrictions on movements, detention and limited services provision in IDPs collective sites.

Protection of Civilians

• Al-Hudaydah continues to see the highest civilian casualty count, with 133 out of 418 civilian casualties reported during July and August 2019 in Yemen. Of these, 97 were as a result of shellfire, as hostilities persist in proximity to the civilian population, both on the eastern outskirts of the city, just to the south in AlDurayhimi district, and along the main supply routes through the southern districts, including in Al-Tuhayat and Hays.

• Hajja observed the highest civilian casualty toll on account of airstrikes (incident in Dhamar not included in date range), seeing 30 of 38 civilian casualties caused by airstrikes across Yemen during August 2019.
The main hostilities in Hajja remain focused in Harad, Hayran and Midi district, although a high rate of airstrikes has also been reported in Abs and Mustaba districts.

• The recent surge in hostilities in Aden during August 2019 drove a high civilian casualty rate. During July and August 2019, 65 civilian casualties were reported in Aden, of whom 54 were during August, as a direct result of incidents of armed violence in the city. After Al-Hudaydah governorate, Aden saw the highest civilian casualty rate in the country during the reporting period. Casualties were caused by shellfire, IEDs and small arms fire.

• Another hotspot in the country remains at the border areas with Saudi Arabia, with the Sa’ada border districts continuing to see a high rate of hostilities on a weekly basis. 61 civilian casualties were reported in Sa’ada during July and August 2019, 48 of whom were on account of shellfire.

• Children were reportedly most harmed as a direct result of by armed violence in Al-Hudaydah (46 child casualties), Sa’ada (23) and Taiz (16).

• Active conflict in Al-Dhale also continued to take a toll on civilians during July and August 2019, largely concentrated in Qa’atabah district. The governorate saw 30 civilian casualties during the two months.

• Across the country, shellfire caused the highest number of civilian casualties, 224 out of 418 civilian casualties, of whom 97 were reported in Al-Hudaydah and 48 in Sa’ada. Another 120 civilian casualties were caused by fire from light weapons, including small arms fire and sniper fire.