Latest news with #NikuJafarnia
Kuwait Times
24-07-2025
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
Houthi cargo ship attacks amount to war crimes: HRW
HODEIDA: People displaced by conflict gather to top up their jerrycans with water drawn from a well at a makeshift camp in Hays, south of Hodeida in eastern Yemen.— AFP BEIRUT: Human Rights Watch on Wednesday condemned Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels for deadly attacks that sank two commercial vessels this month, calling them violations of the laws of war. The Houthis struck the Magic Seas and Eternity C cargo ships in the Red Sea, part of a campaign against maritime traffic they accuse of having links to Zionist entity, launched over the Gaza war. Fifteen people—including four confirmed dead—remain missing after the July 7 attack on the Eternity C. The Yemeni rebels claimed to have 'rescued' an unspecified number of crew, whose whereabouts are still unknown. The attacks were 'violations of the laws of war amounting to war crimes', Human Rights Watch said in a statement, adding it found 'no evidence that the ships were military targets'. 'They deliberately attacked commercial vessels that could clearly be identified as civilian,' the New York-based group said, adding that 'detaining rescued crew members is also prohibited'. Rebel leader Abdel Malek Al-Houthi justified the attacks, saying both ships belonged to companies serving Zionist ports. But HRW said the ships had no connection to Zionist entity and were not heading there. The Magic Seas was en route to Turkey from China carrying fertiliser and steel billets when it was attacked on July 6. The Eternity C was heading to Saudi Arabia from Somalia after delivering humanitarian aid for the United Nations World Food Programme. 'The Houthis have sought to justify unlawful attacks by pointing to Israeli violations against Palestinians,' said Niku Jafarnia, HRW's Yemen and Bahrain researcher. 'The Houthis should end all attacks on ships not taking part in the conflict and immediately release the crew members in their custody,' she added. Since November 2023, the rebels have carried out more than 100 attacks on vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, according to the Joint Maritime Information Centre, run by a Western naval coalition. HRW said it had previously found those actions to be war crimes.– AFP It also warned of environmental risks, citing findings by Wim Zwijnenburg of Dutch peace organization PAX. Zwijnenburg said satellite imagery showed large oil slicks trailing from the sites where both vessels sank, threatening wildlife in a protected nature reserve off Eritrea's coast. Oil was also reportedly washing ashore near a fishing community, he was quoted as saying. – AFP
Yemen Online
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Yemen Online
HRW says Houthi cargo ship attacks amount to war crimes
Human Rights Watch on Wednesday condemned Yemen's Houthi group for deadly attacks that sank two commercial vessels this month, calling them violations of the laws of war. The Houthis struck the Magic Seas and Eternity C cargo ships in the Red Sea, part of a campaign against maritime traffic they accuse of having links to Israel, launched over the Gaza war. Fifteen people -- including four confirmed dead -- remain missing after the July 7 attack on the Eternity C. The Yemeni rebels claimed to have "rescued" an unspecified number of crew, whose whereabouts are still unknown. The attacks were "violations of the laws of war amounting to war crimes", Human Rights Watch said in a statement, adding it found "no evidence that the ships were military targets". "They deliberately attacked commercial vessels that could clearly be identified as civilian," the New York-based group said, adding that "detaining rescued crew members is also prohibited". Rebel leader Abdel Malek al-Houthi justified the attacks, saying both ships belonged to companies serving Israeli ports. But HRW said the ships had no connection to Israel and were not heading there. The Magic Seas was en route to Turkey from China carrying fertiliser and steel billets when it was attacked on July 6. The Eternity C was heading to Saudi Arabia from Somalia after delivering humanitarian aid for the United Nations World Food Programme. "The Houthis have sought to justify unlawful attacks by pointing to Israeli violations against Palestinians," said Niku Jafarnia, HRW's Yemen and Bahrain researcher. "The Houthis should end all attacks on ships not taking part in the conflict and immediately release the crew members in their custody," she added. Since November 2023, the rebels have carried out more than 100 attacks on vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, according to the Joint Maritime Information Centre, run by a Western naval coalition. HRW said it had previously found those actions to be war crimes. It also warned of environmental risks, citing findings by Wim Zwijnenburg of Dutch peace organisation PAX. Zwijnenburg said satellite imagery showed large oil slicks trailing from the sites where both vessels sank, threatening wildlife in a protected nature reserve off Eritrea's coast.
Al-Ahram Weekly
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
HRW says Houthi cargo ship attacks amount to war crimes - Region
Human Rights Watch on Wednesday condemned Yemen's Houthi group for deadly attacks that sank two commercial vessels this month, calling them violations of the laws of war. The Houthis struck the Magic Seas and Eternity C cargo ships in the Red Sea, part of a campaign against maritime traffic they accuse of having links to Israel, launched over the Gaza war. Fifteen people -- including four confirmed dead -- remain missing after the July 7 attack on the Eternity C. The Yemeni rebels claimed to have "rescued" an unspecified number of crew, whose whereabouts are still unknown. The attacks were "violations of the laws of war amounting to war crimes", Human Rights Watch said in a statement, adding it found "no evidence that the ships were military targets". "They deliberately attacked commercial vessels that could clearly be identified as civilian," the New York-based group said, adding that "detaining rescued crew members is also prohibited". Rebel leader Abdel Malek al-Houthi justified the attacks, saying both ships belonged to companies serving Israeli ports. But HRW said the ships had no connection to Israel and were not heading there. The Magic Seas was en route to Turkey from China carrying fertiliser and steel billets when it was attacked on July 6. The Eternity C was heading to Saudi Arabia from Somalia after delivering humanitarian aid for the United Nations World Food Programme. "The Houthis have sought to justify unlawful attacks by pointing to Israeli violations against Palestinians," said Niku Jafarnia, HRW's Yemen and Bahrain researcher. "The Houthis should end all attacks on ships not taking part in the conflict and immediately release the crew members in their custody," she added. Since November 2023, the rebels have carried out more than 100 attacks on vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, according to the Joint Maritime Information Centre, run by a Western naval coalition. HRW said it had previously found those actions to be war crimes. It also warned of environmental risks, citing findings by Wim Zwijnenburg of Dutch peace organisation PAX. Zwijnenburg said satellite imagery showed large oil slicks trailing from the sites where both vessels sank, threatening wildlife in a protected nature reserve off Eritrea's coast. Oil was also reportedly washing ashore near a fishing community, he was quoted as saying. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Asharq Al-Awsat
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Human Rights Watch Says Houthi Attacks on Red Sea Vessels Amount to War Crimes
The Iranian-backed Houthi militias in Yemen attacked two ships, the Magic Seas and the Eternity C, on July 6 and 9, killing some of their crew and detaining others, Human Rights Watch said in a statement on Wednesday. The militants have been launching missile and drone attacks against commercial and military ships in the region in what the group's leadership has described as an effort to end Israel's offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. HRW, however, said the Houthis' attacks on the two vessels 'violates the laws of war applicable to the armed conflict between the Houthis and Israel.' 'The Houthis have sought to justify unlawful attacks by pointing to Israeli violations against Palestinians,' said Niku Jafarnia, HRW's Yemen and Bahrain researcher. Jafarnia called for the Houthis to end all attacks on ships that don't take part in the Israeli-Hamas war and immediately release detained crew members.
Al Manar
04-06-2025
- General
- Al Manar
US Airstrikes on Yemen Port Raise War Crime Concerns as Civilian Toll Mounts
\US military strikes on the Ras Issa Port in Hodeidah, Yemen, on April 17, 2025, caused dozens of civilian casualties and significant damage to port infrastructure, Human Rights Watch said today. The attack should be investigated as a war crime. As part of its military campaign against the Houthis, that began on March 15, the United States targeted Ras Issa Port, one of three ports in the town of Hodeidah through which about 70 percent of Yemen's commercial imports and 80 percent of its humanitarian assistance passes. Human Rights Watch identified via satellite imagery multiple attack sites. The independent research group Airwars found that the strikes killed 84 civilians and injured over 150. 'The US government's decision to strike Ras Issa Port while hundreds of workers were present demonstrates a callous disregard for civilians' lives,' said Niku Jafarnia of Human Rights Watch. 'The attack's impact on humanitarian aid could be enormous, particularly after Trump administration aid cutbacks.' Human Rights Watch's investigation, which included satellite imagery analysis and interviews with sources in Yemen, revealed extensive damage to fuel tanks, berths, customs areas, and cargo facilities. Operations at the port remain limited, threatening aid delivery to a population already facing severe food and water shortages. Among the dead were 49 port employees, several truck drivers, and three children. US Central Command defended the strikes, claiming they aimed to 'eliminate this source of fuel for the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists.' However, Human Rights Watch argues that attacking the port as an 'economic source of power' for the Houthis would make virtually any economic entity a potential military target. With no public evidence that weapons or military supplies were stored at the port, the organization believes the attack was either indiscriminate or disproportionate in its civilian impact. The US also provided direct military assistance to the Saudi-led coalition in their conflict against the Houthis, starting in March 2015. Numerous coalition attacks during that conflict violated the laws of war. 'The recent US airstrikes in Yemen are just the latest causing civilian harm in the country over the past two decades,' Jafarnia said. 'The Trump administration should reverse past US practice and provide prompt compensation to those unlawfully harmed.'
