CIMP Monthly Report

Armed violence was responsible for 179 civilian casualties in May 2023
The number of civilian casualties reported as a result of armed violence increased by 19% from April to May, up to 179 from 150. The number of fatalities among the casualties also rose from 49 in April up to 52 in May. The number of children among the casualties saw a significant increase, increasing by 50% from 16 in April to 24 in May, a third of whom were fatalities. The most significant increase in civilian casualties was driven by hand grenade incidents, which were responsible for 31 civilian casualties over the past month, having not been responsible for any in April. The number of civilian casualties as a result of explosive remnants of warfare (ERW) also more than doubled from the previous month, and civilian casualties as a result of small arms fire (SAF) shootings increased for the third consecutive month.

Civilian ERW casualties more than double, more than half of whom were children
Having dropped for four consecutive months, from December to April, the number of civilian casualties reported countrywide as a result of explosive remnants of warfare (ERW) increased in May, up to 36, more than double the 16 reported the month before. Over the past 18 months, since November 2021, when the frontlines in Hudaydah shifted south, making the former frontline areas accessible to civilian movement, despite not having been fully cleared of ordnance, the west coast has typically seen the highest civilian casualty numbers, often accounting for around half of the countrywide civilian ERW casualties. However, in May, only a quarter of the 36 ERW casualties reported countrywide were in Hudaydah, the lowest proportion to be seen since October 2021.

Throughout May, ERW incidents were more dispersed across the country, with a significant increase in UXO incidents in particular, which resulted in 25 civilian casualties over the past month, up from three in April. Landmines were responsible for 11 civilian casualties in May, including five in each of Hudaydah and Jawf. Six UXO casualties were reported in Ma’rib, in Harib and Ma’rib districts, both of which have recently seen hostilities, including among local tribal groups. Another four UXO casualties were reported in western Ta’izz. Moreover, while three of the 11 landmine casualties were children, half (12) of the 25 UXO casualties were children, who remain particularly vulnerable to UXO due to their lack of threat awareness and heightened propensity to play or tamper with unfamiliar devices.

Small arms fire shootings proliferating across the country
Small arms fire (SAF) was responsible for more civilian casualties than any other type of armed violence in May, accounting for 57 civilian casualties over the past month, up from 45 in April and marking an increase for the third consecutive month. Moreover, more than half of the violence-driven fatalities reported countrywide over the past month were the result of SAF. SAF casualty numbers have been steadily rising since February, linked to increasing dispute-driven violence, in connection with economic grievances, tribal vengeance issues and territorial rivalries, and likely compounded by widespread access to arms. Shabwah saw more civilian SAF casualties than any other governorate, at 13. In the incident to see the highest casualty numbers, on 11 May, two civilians were shot dead and eight others were injured following a tribal vengeance dispute in Habban district. Another 10 SAF casualties were reported in Lahij, including five as a result of civilians getting caught in the crossfire of clashes between local military groups.

Mass casualty hand grenade incident results in 23 civilian casualties
Although grenade incidents did not result in any civilian casualties in April, in May, hand grenade incidents were responsible for 31 civilian casualties. 23 of these were on account of a mass casualty incident on 12 May, in Bayda, where two civilians were killed and 21 were injured when a grenade was detonated inside a mosque in Al-Quraishyah district following a vengeance dispute. The incident drove the monthly civilian casualty count in Bayda up to 28, the highest monthly casualty count seen in the governorate on CIMP records. There were also two grenade attacks in Ta’izz, cumulatively resulting in five civilian casualties. In the first, on 1 May, one woman was killed and her two daughters were injured when a hand grenade was detonated inside their house in Al-Misrakh district following a family dispute. In Ta’izz city, another two civilians were injured on 24 May when a grenade was thrown at a police station in Al-Mudhaffar district. So far, 2023 has seen 53 civilian grenade casualties. By comparison, the first five months of 2022 saw 18 civilian grenade casualties. The conditions driving the increase this year appear to be similar to those driving localised shooting incidents, including widespread arms capability, weak rule of law, and incendiary grievances, including economic flashpoints and territorial rivalries.

Sa’dah saw more civilian casualties than any other governorate amid ongoing border violence
42 civilian casualties were reported in Sa’dah over the past month, all but two of whom were on account of border violence in the west of the governorate. This was the highest civilian casualty count of all of the governorates, but conversely was the lowest to have been recorded in Sa’dah since November 2022. Despite continued reports of incidents impacting civilians in the Sa’dah border areas, predominantly in Monabbih and Shada’a districts, on a weekly basis, casualty numbers have been steadily dropping. Similar seasonal fluctuations have been witnessed in previous years. As a result, the number of civilian casualties as a result shellfire dropped to 37 over the past month, the lowest recorded in one month since November 2022. Civilian casualties as a result of light weapons fire, including machine gun fire, also dropped, down to 10 from 26 in April, and marking the lowest light weapons casualty count since December 2022. With the other frontlines in the country relatively quiet, shelling and light weapons fire casualty numbers are currently predominantly driven by border violence in Sa’dah, and numbers will likely remain comparatively low unless either the frontlines or border hostilities once again pick up.

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