Yemen: Huthis must open Ta’iz roads immediately as thousands of civilians’ lives are at risk

The Huthi de facto authorities must immediately open vital roads in and around Ta’iz city, as fighting intensifies between the Huthis and government forces and moves closer to densely populated areas of the city, Amnesty International said today.

The Huthis have tightened their control around Ta’iz city after they cut off the main road connecting Ta’iz to Aden in October, pushing the city to the brink of a severe humanitarian disaster. They have blocked humanitarian aid, putting access to food, water, and healthcare for hundreds of thousands at grave risk as per UN agencies.

“The residents of Ta’iz, Yemen’s third largest city, have endured years of hardship due to the conflict, while hosting the country’s largest number of internally displaced people. At various points since 2015, Huthi forces have surrounded the city, blocking access to major roads connecting it to other towns and cities and forcing civilians to use dangerous and poorly maintained mountained roads,” said Heba Morayef, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for Middle East and North Africa.

“Once again, civilians in Ta’iz find themselves trapped and facing severe shortages of essential goods, including food, water, and medicine. Under international law, the Huthis have an obligation to ensure the flow of aid and essential goods for civilians in need isn’t impeded in any way, and that civilians wishing to leave Ta’iz can do so freely and safely.”

UN agencies have warned that critical medical facilities are running dangerously low on fuel and oxygen; wheat and flour supplies could run out in less than three weeks; food prices have risen about 50%; and cooking gas has become largely unavailable.

Between 1 August and 19 October, according to the UN Human Rights Office, 32 civilians have been killed across Taiz governorate, including 14 children and nine women, while 115 civilians were injured, among them 36 children and 34 women.

International humanitarian law requires parties to a conflict to allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of impartial humanitarian assistance to civilians in need. All parties should allow civilians in besieged areas wishing to leave to do so, and they must ensure the freedom of movement of authorized humanitarian relief personnel.

All parties to the conflict must also take all feasible precautions to spare civilians and civilian objects.

Yemen already faces one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. The escalation of hostilities is happening against the backdrop of a collapsing economy, and severe humanitarian funding cuts that risk worsening an already grave humanitarian situation for people living in the country.

“The international community and donor states must step up to support civilians in Yemen, including by demanding urgently and repeatedly that the Huthis open Ta’iz roads and release all those they are arbitrarily detaining, including aid workers, and by providing urgent and sufficient funding for Yemen’s humanitarian response plan, which has been consistently and severely underfunded for years, particularly following the global aid cuts in 2025,” said Heba Morayef.

Background

In July, the UN-brokered ceasefire between parties to the conflict in Yemen established in 2022 collapsed. This followed an air strike on Huthi-held Sana’a international airport, which was claimed by the internationally recognized government. The Huthis, accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out the attack. Fighting between the Huthis and the internationally recognized government intensified, particularly along the western coast and Ta’iz governorate.

The Huthis, who receive support from Iran, launched drone and missile attacks against Saudi Arabia, including on airports and oil infrastructure, killing at least 20 people and injuring hundreds, according to Saudi official media. The Saudi military resumed their air strikes on territories controlled by the Huthi de facto authorities, killing and injuring dozens. The renewed conflict in Yemen is part of a broader escalation linked to the regional conflict involving the USA, Israel, and Iran.

The Huthi de facto authorities must immediately open vital roads in and around Ta’iz city, as fighting intensifies between the Huthis and government forces and moves closer to densely populated areas of the city, Amnesty International said today.

The Huthis have tightened their control around Ta’iz city after they cut off the main road connecting Ta’iz to Aden in October, pushing the city to the brink of a severe humanitarian disaster. They have blocked humanitarian aid, putting access to food, water, and healthcare for hundreds of thousands at grave risk as per UN agencies.

“The residents of Ta’iz, Yemen’s third largest city, have endured years of hardship due to the conflict, while hosting the country’s largest number of internally displaced people. At various points since 2015, Huthi forces have surrounded the city, blocking access to major roads connecting it to other towns and cities and forcing civilians to use dangerous and poorly maintained mountained roads,” said Heba Morayef, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for Middle East and North Africa.

“Once again, civilians in Ta’iz find themselves trapped and facing severe shortages of essential goods, including food, water, and medicine. Under international law, the Huthis have an obligation to ensure the flow of aid and essential goods for civilians in need isn’t impeded in any way, and that civilians wishing to leave Ta’iz can do so freely and safely.”

UN agencies have warned that critical medical facilities are running dangerously low on fuel and oxygen; wheat and flour supplies could run out in less than three weeks; food prices have risen about 50%; and cooking gas has become largely unavailable.

Between 1 August and 19 October, according to the UN Human Rights Office, 32 civilians have been killed across Taiz governorate, including 14 children and nine women, while 115 civilians were injured, among them 36 children and 34 women.

International humanitarian law requires parties to a conflict to allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of impartial humanitarian assistance to civilians in need. All parties should allow civilians in besieged areas wishing to leave to do so, and they must ensure the freedom of movement of authorized humanitarian relief personnel.

All parties to the conflict must also take all feasible precautions to spare civilians and civilian objects.

Yemen already faces one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. The escalation of hostilities is happening against the backdrop of a collapsing economy, and severe humanitarian funding cuts that risk worsening an already grave humanitarian situation for people living in the country.

“The international community and donor states must step up to support civilians in Yemen, including by demanding urgently and repeatedly that the Huthis open Ta’iz roads and release all those they are arbitrarily detaining, including aid workers, and by providing urgent and sufficient funding for Yemen’s humanitarian response plan, which has been consistently and severely underfunded for years, particularly following the global aid cuts in 2025,” said Heba Morayef.

Background

In July, the UN-brokered ceasefire between parties to the conflict in Yemen established in 2022 collapsed. This followed an air strike on Huthi-held Sana’a international airport, which was claimed by the internationally recognized government. The Huthis, accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out the attack. Fighting between the Huthis and the internationally recognized government intensified, particularly along the western coast and Ta’iz governorate.

The Huthis, who receive support from Iran, launched drone and missile attacks against Saudi Arabia, including on airports and oil infrastructure, killing at least 20 people and injuring hundreds, according to Saudi official media. The Saudi military resumed their air strikes on territories controlled by the Huthi de facto authorities, killing and injuring dozens. The renewed conflict in Yemen is part of a broader escalation linked to the regional conflict involving the USA, Israel, and Iran.

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