CIMP Monthly Report - February 2025

Civilian casualties decreased countrywide from January to February, but child casualties increased
There was a notable decrease in reported civilian casualties from January 2025 to February 2025, down by 49% from 112 in January to 57 in February. February saw the second lowest monthly civilian casualty count on CIMP records. Although the number of civilian fatalities reported among these casualties also fell, the decrease was less pronounced, down by 24%. There was a slight decline of 22% child casualties, from nine in January to seven in February, although child fatalities increased from one to three. Meanwhile, casualties among women halved, from nine to four. All casualty figures marked a decrease compared to last year’s monthly averages.

Market shootings resulting in growing numbers of civilian casualties
Small arms fire (SAF) was responsible for more civilian casualties than any other type of armed violence, with 25 casualties reported, accounting for almost half of the countrywide total. Although incidents were distributed across seven governorates, the majority of the casualties were reported in Ibb (9 casualties) and Ta’izz (7 casualties). All seven civilian SAF casualties in Ta’izz resulted from marketplace shootings.

On 12 February, one civilian was killed and two others injured in a shooting in Suq Al-Hariyah, a popular market in Sharab Ar Rawnah district, and on 23 February, another civilian was killed and three more injured in the crossfire of clashes that broke out between two armed factions following a dispute in Ali Saleh market in Al-Mudhaffar district, Ta’izz city. Two of the casualties in Ibb were also the result of a marketplace shooting. A total of 72 civilian SAF casualties were reported across Yemen in the first two months of the year, almost a third of whom (23) were linked to marketplace shootings. Markets are increasingly becoming flashpoints for armed violence linked to economic grievances.

Highest civilian casualty count recorded in Sa’dah
Sa’dah governorate saw the highest civilian casualty count of all governorates in February 2025, with all but two casualties resulting from ongoing border violence in the mountainous west of the governorate. Although no civilian fatalities were reported in the area, 10 civilians were reportedly injured by light weapons fire, typically border outpost and patrol shootings. Nine of the civilians were injured in Monabbih, a particular flashpoint for border violence, including in incidents in Ar Raqw (5 casualties), Al Umm Ash Shaykh (3 casualties) and Ufrah (1 casualty). At least two migrants were reported among the casualties in Monabbih district. Another civilian was reportedly injured by light weapons fire in Al Thabit, on the Qatabir district border. Baqim and Razih saw reports of civilian homes being hit by cross-border shellfire; although no casualties were reported, such incidents threaten the displacement of affected households and those nearby.

Despite overall decline in civilian casualty numbers, ERW casualty figures unchanged from last month
Explosive remnants of war (ERW), including landmines and UXO, were responsible for 14 civilian casualties in February 2025, the same as was reported in January. The number of fatalities from ERW incidents saw a slight increase, rising from four in January to five in February, while child ERW casualties also increased from four to five. For the first time on CIMP records, Lahij saw more ERW casualties than any other governorate, with six casualties reported. In the incident to see the highest casualty numbers, on 17 February, one civilian was killed and four others were injured, including two boys aged 12 and 17, when a landmine exploded in Al-Qurayn area in Al-Musaymir district, a frontline area in the north of the governorate. The remaining incidents were also all reported in active and former frontline areas, including southern Hudaydah, where two children were killed in separate landmine incidents, Khabb wa ash Sha’af in Jawf, Jabal Yam in Nihm district in eastern Sana’a, and Kitaf in eastern Sa’dah.

Decrease in impact from remote violence in frontline areas
The number of civilian casualties from remote violence in frontline areas, including shellfire and drone strikes, notably decreased from 17 in January to four in February. The only instance of remote violence reported to have resulted in civilian casualties was on 25 February in southern Hudaydah, where four civilians were injured, including a 2-year-old boy and a woman, when artillery shells hit Bayt Ukaysh in Hays district. There was some additional impact to civilian properties from remote violence over the past month from artillery fire. Civilian homes in northern Lahij, southern Hudaydah and Ta’izz city reportedly came under shellfire, putting inhabitants in harm’s way, and increasing the threat of displacement. Moreover, no airstrikes were reported to have impacted civilians in Yemen in February 2025, marking a decrease from January, when five airstrikes were reported to have impacted civilians across Yemen, and even more so from December, when 10 such incidents were reported.

For more detailed or area-specific assessments, please reach out to the CIMP team directly via the address below.