Entisaf Organization Condemns the Targeting of Two Civilian Families in Haifan, Taiz; Affirms: Targeting Women and Children Is a Crime and a Grave Violation of International Humanitarian Law
Entesaf – October 30, 2026
The Entisaf Organization for Women and Child Rights condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the crime committed by Saudi-led coalition forces—who targeted the Al-Amoor area in the Haifan District of Taiz Governorate with mortar shells. This assault, which struck civilians within their own residential areas, resulted in the death of two individuals—including a young girl—and left six others wounded, among them two children and two women, some of whom sustained serious injuries.
The organization asserts that this crime is yet another link in a long series of violations and attacks against civilians in Yemen. It highlights the immense dangers faced by women and children as residential areas continue to be targeted; homes and neighborhoods are no longer spared from shelling and attacks. This deprives families of the most basic elements of security and stability, leaving women and children vulnerable to death, injury, displacement, and profound psychological and social suffering.
The organization maintains that targeting a populated area with mortar shells—resulting in civilian casualties, including a young girl, women, and children—constitutes a grave violation of the rules of international humanitarian law, which mandate that the aggressors adhere to the principles of distinction and proportionality. Furthermore, the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 and Additional Protocol I of 1977 guarantee the protection of civilians and prohibit any actions that endanger their lives or safety. The organization emphasizes that childhood must be afforded special protection under all circumstances. The martyrdom of a young girl and the injuries sustained by children and women in this incident underscore the heavy humanitarian toll paid by civilians due to ongoing attacks on populated areas. Furthermore, the impact on women and children extends beyond immediate physical harm; it encompasses profound psychological and social consequences that haunt the victims and their families, leaving long-lasting effects on their lives and futures.
The organization holds the Saudi-led coalition legally and humanely responsible for the consequences of this attack. It asserts that the protection of civilians is neither an optional matter nor a mere formality, but a binding international legal obligation. Any assault targeting the civilian population—or endangering their lives—must be subject to investigation and accountability in accordance with relevant international law, rejecting any culture of impunity or disregard for the rights of victims.
Entisaf Organization calls upon the United Nations, the Human Rights Council, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and international organizations dedicated to the protection of women and children to fulfill their legal and humanitarian responsibilities. It urges them to unequivocally condemn this crime, take urgent action to protect civilians, document violations against women and children in Yemen, and initiate independent, transparent investigations into the circumstances of these attacks. Furthermore, it calls for ensuring that those responsible are held accountable, that victims and their families receive justice, and that effective international measures are implemented to prevent the recurrence of such crimes. The organization calls upon the international community to move beyond mere expressions of concern or formal condemnations, and instead take practical, serious steps to ensure the protection of civilians, put an end to the targeting of residential areas, guarantee adherence to the rules of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and ensure that violations against women and children are not permitted to continue under any pretext.
The organization emphasizes that the lives of children, women, and civilians are not merely fleeting statistics in news reports. Targeting families in their own homes is a crime that strikes at the very core of the right to life, human dignity, and personal safety. Continued international silence—and the failure to take deterrent measures against these violations—fosters a culture of impunity and undermines the international system of justice and protection, which is intended to serve as the fundamental safeguard for human rights during armed conflicts.
Issued by: Entesaf Organization for Women and Child Rights