Mass Killings of Migrants Along Saudi-Yemen Border: Human Rights Watch Report
A damning report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused Saudi border guards of being involved in the mass killings of migrants along the Yemeni border, shedding light on a humanitarian crisis of horrifying proportions. The report, titled “They Fired On Us Like Rain,” exposes a deeply troubling pattern of violence and human rights abuses.
The victims, often migrants from Ethiopia, undertake perilous journeys, crossing war-torn Yemen with the hope of reaching Saudi Arabia in search of better opportunities. However, their journeys are fraught with unimaginable dangers. According to the report, hundreds of migrants, including women and children, have been shot dead by Saudi police and soldiers on Yemen’s rugged northern border with Saudi Arabia.
Survivors have recounted harrowing tales of being targeted with gunfire and even explosive weapons, leaving them with life-altering injuries.
Mustafa Soufia Mohammed, a 21-year-old survivor, described a nightmarish experience in which 45 migrants, including himself, were attacked while attempting to cross the border. “The shooting went on and on,” he recalled, revealing that he was shot and lost part of his leg in the brutal incident.
Another survivor, whom we are calling Ibsaa to protect his identity, spoke of being shot by individuals wearing Saudi military uniforms. “They beat us, killed some and took those who survived to the hospital. The bodies of those killed were left scattered on the ground,” he recounted, revealing that he was left paralyzed after being shot.
The HRW report, which covers incidents from March 2022 to June 2023, documents 28 separate instances of explosive weapons and 14 shootings at close range. However, it is impossible to determine the exact number of victims due to the remoteness of the border crossings and the challenges of tracking down survivors. HRW’s lead author, Nadia Hardman, estimates that the actual number could be in the thousands.
Hardman stated, “We have factually demonstrated that the abuses are widespread and systematic and may amount to a crime against humanity.” The report includes graphic testimony, satellite imagery, and accounts from multiple eyewitnesses, painting a harrowing picture of mass killings and suffering.
Reports of these horrifying abuses first emerged last October when UN experts sent a letter to the Saudi government, highlighting “a systematic pattern of large-scale, indiscriminate cross-border killings.” The Saudi government strongly rejected these allegations, and the matter went largely unnoticed.
However, subsequent reports from organizations like the Mixed Migration Centre and now HRW provide additional evidence of these atrocities, corroborating the UN’s initial findings. The HRW report also reveals the existence of a detention center at Monabbih, inside Yemen, where migrants are held before being escorted to the border by armed smugglers. This raises concerns about the involvement of Yemen’s Houthi rebels in this human tragedy.
While the HRW report covers events until June this year, the BBC has found evidence suggesting that the killings continue. Migrants injured at the border were arriving in hospitals as recently as Friday, underscoring the ongoing nature of this crisis.
The allegations against Saudi border guards are deeply troubling, and they demand a thorough and transparent investigation. The international community must address these human rights abuses and work towards ensuring the safety and well-being of migrants attempting these treacherous journeys.
