Understand
Yemen children brave snipers and mortars to attend school near the front line in Taiz
Overview
Children in the front-line city of Taiz, Yemen, face daily dangers from snipers and mortar attacks just to attend school. Amid an intensifying civil war between government forces and Iran-backed Houthis, families strive to secure an education for their children despite ongoing violence that frequently impacts civilians, resulting in tragic injuries and deaths among young children.
Key points
- Ten-year-old Rafeef walks uphill past Houthi sniper positions every day to attend school in Taiz, located near a contested no-man's land.
- Unicef reports that millions of children in Yemen were out of school even before the war escalated, with thousands killed, maimed, or recruited by armed groups since 2014.
- Recent fighting has intensified as Houthis cut off a vital supply route linking Taiz to Aden, effectively encircling the city.
- A mortar attack in Taiz killed three-year-old Ahmed and critically injured 11-year-old Amjad while they were near a mechanic's shop.
- Teachers and residents in Taiz live in constant fear as schools and neighborhoods remain vulnerable to sniper fire and military escalation.