Following a flood of complaints from residents, activists and politicians, the Human Rights ministry announced that it would send an investigative team to Hamdan as to look into allegations that Houthis militants (Shiite group based in the northern province of Sa’ada organized politically under the denomination, Ansar-Allah) systematically residential areas, schools and state institutions during clashes with tribesmen affiliated to al-Islah.
The Houthis, which first targeted Salafi militants (Sunni ultra-orthodox) back in late October 2013 on account the group was attempting to raise an army of Jihadists in its religious centre of Dar al-Hadith, since then pushed for greater territorial control throughout Yemen highlands.
After having opened up a front in the northern province of Arman in February against al-Ahmar tribesmen, a tribal faction affiliated to al-Islah (Yemen’s most prominent Sunni radical faction which accounts within its ranks Salafis and members of the Muslim Brotherhood), the Shite group moved against Hamdan, an area which lies only 20 km away from the capital, Sana’a.s
The dispatching of a human rights team to Hamdan corresponds with the coming into effect of a truce in between the Houthis and local tribes. Activists have already said they expect the government will seek to restore order and justice to the region and of course punish anyone proven guilty of human rights violations.
According to testimonies on the ground, the Houthis would have failed to minimize risk to civilian populations, randomly targeting areas where they knew casualties would be high. It is important to note that such allegations have yet to be proven and duly documented.