Saudi Border Guards Accused of Killing Hundreds of African Migrants in Yemen
Saudi Arabia’s border guards are facing serious allegations of killing hundreds of African migrants who were seeking to cross into the kingdom from Yemen. Human Rights Watch released a report on Monday, detailing the disturbing accounts of violence and abuse by the guards. The report stated that the Saudi border guards have been using excessive force, including firing on migrants with rifles and explosive munitions, which has resulted in the deaths of men, women, and children. The migrants have also been subjected to beatings with rocks and bars, and male migrants have been forced to rape women while guards watched.
The report describes the shooting of migrants as widespread and systematic, suggesting that if this were a deliberate government policy, it would amount to a crime against humanity. The Saudi government has not yet responded to these allegations. The report sheds light on the perilous conditions faced by migrants along this smuggling route, which is located in a war-torn and isolated region rarely accessed by international observers.
Most of the migrants affected by these abuses come from Ethiopia, one of the poorest countries in the world. They flee their home country due to poverty, drought, and political repression, and try to reach Saudi Arabia, one of the wealthiest nations in the Arab world and a major oil exporter. However, the Saudi security forces have been increasingly imposing harsh measures to prevent migrants from entering the country.
Ethiopian migrant Faisal Othman recounted a horrific incident from last September when he and approximately 200 others were attempting to cross the border. A projectile exploded near the group, causing shrapnel to fatally injure the women around him. Othman described the scene as people being shredded like crushed tomatoes. The migrants, driven by destitution, face extreme dangers and violence on their journey.
The route taken by these migrants starts in Ethiopia, where they head to Djibouti to be smuggled across the Gulf of Aden to Yemen. In Yemen, they are taken to areas controlled by the Houthi rebels, an Iran-backed group that has been fighting against Yemen’s internationally recognized government since 2014. Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies have conducted a bombing campaign against the Houthis, resulting in a protracted conflict and a devastating humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
Human Rights Watch based its report on extensive interviews with migrants, analysis of photos and videos captured by the migrants themselves, and examination of satellite imagery of the border area. The report estimates that hundreds of migrants have been killed between March 2022 and June 2023, but acknowledges that the true number could be in the thousands.
While the report primarily focuses on the abuses committed by the Saudi security forces, it also accuses the Houthis of facilitating smuggling, extortion, and detention of migrants, actions that can amount to human trafficking and torture.
The conflict in Yemen has seen rampant human rights violations, and perpetrators have largely gone unpunished. Saudi Arabia and its allies, as well as the Houthi rebels, have been implicated in war crimes. The lack of international efforts to address the violence against migrants is glaring, with reports of regular killings largely ignored.
Abdulaziz Yasin, a member of the Ethiopian community in Yemen, reflects the sentiment that the migrants cannot depend on international agencies for help. He shares that numerous people are being killed daily, and yet there is no meaningful intervention.
As these grave allegations continue to emerge, it is imperative that the international community takes action to address the violence and ensure the safety and protection of all migrants, regardless of their origin. The victims of these crimes deserve justice, and steps must be taken to prevent further loss of life on this treacherous migration route.
