Geneva – SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties condemns the explosion near the main office of the Yemeni Congregation for Reform (Al-Islah) in Al-Mudhaffar district, Taiz governorate, as a serious violation of the right to life and the protection of civilians. The incident raises grave concerns about the increasing use of disguised explosive devices in populated areas, significantly endangering civilians and undermining the minimum legal protections required in conflict contexts.
Targeting a civilian political office in an area with heavy pedestrian traffic, including schoolchildren, using an improvised explosive device concealed within civilian materials, constitutes a prohibited act under international humanitarian law and human rights law. Such incidents demand an independent and effective investigation adhering to standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability.
SAM’s field team reviewed consistent testimonies from the site’s security guard, eyewitnesses, and injured persons, in addition to official data from the Health Operations Room in Taiz governorate. These sources allowed a clear reconstruction of the sequence of events. Evidence indicates that a man on a motorcycle, accompanied by a child, arrived at the site carrying boxes that appeared to contain solar energy components, including a battery, solar panel, and electrical regulator.
When the materials were denied entry due to the absence of prior notice or a designated recipient, the boxes were left at the entrance with the child nearby, minutes before the explosion. The team concluded that the explosive device was intended for placement inside the headquarters and that preventing its entry averted wider human casualties. The site was used for civilian political purposes, and there were no indications of a legitimate military target in the vicinity.
Detailed statements were documented independently shortly after the incident and cross-referenced with official medical data and the chronological sequence of events.
The security guard reported seeing a man in his 40s with the child, claiming the materials were a “message” for the office. When entry was refused, the man left the boxes outside and moved away shortly before the explosion occurred. Eyewitness accounts confirm the use of deception, the presence of a child, and the short interval between the perpetrator’s departure and the detonation.
Medical records indicate that 13 people were injured, including three fatalities, among them civilians of various ages, and children. The blast caused multiple shrapnel injuries, with lethal consequences for some, distributed across varying distances from the explosion site, confirming the civilian impact of the attack.
According to Al-Islah, the attack aimed to inflict maximum casualties among its leaders and members, in addition to civilians present. The organization notes that the explosion would have caused far greater losses if the device had been brought inside, highlighting the intent to target civilians in a densely populated area.
Political and civil society actors have widely condemned the attack, emphasizing the prohibition on targeting civilian infrastructure under any pretext. SAM stresses that the attack’s method—use of a disguised device in civilian materials in a populated area—constitutes a non-discriminatory attack that may amount to a serious crime if intent to target civilians or disregard for civilian safety is proven.
The organization calls on Yemeni authorities to:
Conduct an immediate, independent, and effective investigation consistent with international standards;
Identify all responsible parties, including planners and executors, without exception;
Ensure the protection of witnesses, survivors, and victims’ families;
Preserve all physical and forensic evidence, including criminal and medical reports;
Prevent any political or security interference that could compromise justice.
SAM also emphasizes the obligation of authorities to ensure accountability, prevent impunity, and provide reparations in accordance with international standards, including the right to truth, justice, and adequate compensation. Finally, the organization urges restraint in public discourse, warning against incitement or unsubstantiated accusations that may undermine investigations and social cohesion.