Armed violence resulted in 130 civilian casualties in October 2022
The number of civilian casualties reported as a direct result of armed violence in October was largely unchanged from the month before, with 130 casualties reported, down slightly from 137 in September. The number of fatalities among the casualties also saw a very slight decrease, down to 36 from 38 in September. There was, however, a notable increase in the number of children among the casualties; in September 2022, 23 children were reported to have been killed or injured by armed violence in Yemen, but this rose to 33 in October. Ta’izz saw the highest number of civilian casualties, at 37, followed by 21. The two governorates consistently see among the highest casualty numbers in the country.
Explosive remnants of warfare were responsible for the highest casualty numbers
Landmines and UXO were together responsible for 42 civilian casualties throughout October 2022, a third (32%) of the 130 civilian casualties reported in total. The west coast continues to see the highest proportion of ERW casualties. This has largely been the case since frontlines shifted south in November 2021, resulting in a de-escalation on the frontlines around Hudaydah city and just to the south, which appears to have facilitated greater freedom of movement, but through and to areas that have not necessarily been cleared of remnant explosives. Heavy rainfall over the summer months served to exacerbate the threat. All but two of the 21 civilian casualties reported in Hudaydah during
October were the result of landmine and UXO explosions. At Tuhayat (8), Al-Hali (3) and Ad Durayhimi (3) saw the highest ERW casualty numbers. Bayda saw the second highest number of ERW casualties reported during October, at nine, on account of three separate landmine blasts.
Child casualties increase by 43% from September to October
33 children were reported to have been killed and injured by armed violence during October 2022, marking a 43% increase from the 23 reported in September. Among the casualties were 12 fatalities; the month before, no child fatalities were reported. 20 of the child casualties were on account of ERW, accounting for almost half of the ERW civilian casualty count. Children remain particularly
susceptible to ERW, due to heightened mobility and inquisitiveness, coupled with a lesser awareness of the threat. Another eight children were reported as a result of artillery fire hitting civilian houses, across Ta’izz, Lahij and southern Bayda. In the shelling incident to see the highest number of child casualties, on 30 October, a 3-year-old boy and his father were killed, and another four children were injured, when a house near the Old Airport in At Taiziyah, Ta’izz city, was hit by artillery fire.
Shooting incidents drive second highest number of civilian casualties
After ERW, small arms fire (SAF) shooting incidents were responsible for the second highest number of civilian casualties, as localised
tensions and unrest remain rife across the country, worsened by economic grievances. Against this backdrop, disputes have the propensity to escalate swiftly. 32 civilian SAF casualties were reported in October, including 12 as a result of disputes escalating, and another five on account of tribal conflict and vengeance issues. Incidents were distributed across 11 different governorates, with the highest casualty numbers reported in Ta’izz (6), Dhamar (5) and Ibb (4). 32 marks the highest civilian SAF casualty count reported in one month since July, and an increase of 19% from the 27 civilian SAF casualties reported in September.
23 civilian casualties reported in Ta’izz city
Ta’izz city saw 23 civilian casualties reported over the past month, the second highest casualty count reported in the city in one month this year, and an almost fivefold increase from the five civilian casualties reported in the city in September. The casualties were the result of a broad range of types of armed violence, including six on account of artillery fire, in the incident mentioned above near the Old Airport, six on account of two separate IED attacks targeting a checkpoint and a military vehicle, four sniper casualties, five SAF casualties and two landmine casualties. Ta’izz city remains the site of active frontlines, as well as contested areas of operations among local groups, which, compounded by economic tensions, continues to drive high levels of unrest in the city. The broader governorate saw another four civilian casualties, in total
accounting for eight of the 10 civilian sniper casualties reported across the country during October. Ta’izz consistently sees the highest reports of civilian sniper casualties in the country. Although the reason is unclear, it appears linked to the proximity of active frontlines to densely populated civilian areas. In nine of 10 months so far this year, Ta’izz has seen the highest number of civilian sniper casualties in the country.
For more detailed or area-specific assessments, please reach out to the CIMP team via the address below.
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