Houthis shell Jazan village; no one hurt

CROSS-BORDER ATTACK: One of the Houthi shells falling short of a house in the Tuwal region of Jazan on Wednesday. (Photo: Courtesy Al Arabiya)

JAZAN: An Al-Arabiya correspondent in the Jazan region reported three shells fired from Yemen striking Shi‘b Al-Dhi’b village in the Tuwal region on Wednesday.

The shells landed at different locations including on a house, causing extensive damage but no injuries.
Saudi Border Guards defend the area against incursions by the Houthi militia and supporters of ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Tuwal is one of the areas that has witnessed clashes where the Houthis suffered heavy losses that forced them to retreat deep into Yemeni territory.
Saudi forces are working on a strategy of pre-emptive strikes on enemy targets by artillery, aircraft and rocket launchers.
In related news, Jazan police have managed to thwart the smuggling of more than 14,000 rounds of bullets through Al-Hashr Mountains between Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
While a police patrol was out in the mountains, the movement of a pickup truck and a Saudi citizen aroused their suspicion. When police approached the vehicle, the driver tried to flee. The police tracked him down and searched the vehicle. They found 14,500 bullets for Kalashnikov rifle.
The case documents have been forwarded to the relevant authorities for further investigation and prosecution, police said.
Meanwhile, the Geneva-based SAM Organization for Rights and Freedoms has released a report in collaboration with Justice and Equity Organization for Development, and Yemeni Human Rights which says that more than 7,000 violations have been committed by the Houthis in Al-Wazeya directorate, west of Taiz.
The violations involved targeting civilians, destruction of homes, kidnappings, raids, displacement and looting, the report said, adding that more than 30,000 people, mostly women and children, were affected.
Yemeni Army commander in the Midi district Brig. Gen. Mansour Al-Zafeni said that the Houthis have not abided by the previous truce and exploited it to enter Midi district.
Yemeni sources revealed that Houthi militias forced children to participate in military operations. The sources explained that the militia recruited hundreds of children for the military camps of the Houthi, under the pretext of imposing security and stability and protection of areas. However, families of children were surprised to find their sons transferred to war zones.
Hundreds of children in Dhamar Province have been recruited in the past few days. Sources pointed out that children who have weapons were misled through various temptations, or by force after they were kidnapped from their parents. However, dozens of children were returned to their parents a few days ago.
Human rights activists recently estimated that Yemeni Houthi militias have recruited around 8,000 children since the beginning of 2016. A report issued by the United Nations last June condemned the militia’s behavior for widely recruiting children and pushing them into battles. Popular resistance groups repeatedly announced that there are children who have been arrested in battles. These resistance groups can prove that the Houthi forced children, under legal age, to participate in battles.