INVESTIGATIONS
Shelling Al Wahda Maternity and Children Hospital in Taiz
December 5, 2022Shelling Al Wahda Maternity and Children Hospital in Taiz
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- Incident: Shelling Al Wahda Maternity and Children Hospital in Taiz
- Type: Mortar shelling
- Location: Qaa Iblis neighborhood in Salh district, east of Taiz city, the principal city of the governorate
- Date: 25 February 2022
- Time: between 07:30 - 08:40 am
- Victims: No casualties reported
- Physical damage: Several solar panels, water tanks, and rooftop windows were destroyed
- Probable munitions: 81/82 mm mortar
- Probable violation of international law: Failure to take the necessary precautions to avoid and protect civilian objects - the use of inaccurate weapons in civilian areas
- Probable responsibly: Yemeni government forces in the Taiz axis
Introduction
On the morning of 25 February 2022, military confrontations in Taiz started between government forces in the Taiz axis and the Houthi forces with artillery bombardment between the two parties on the eastern part of the city. One of the artillery bursts hit Al Wahda Maternity and Children Hospital in Salh neighborhood, causing damage to the electricity and water systems.
About the area
Qaa Iblis neighborhood is located in Salh district, east of the Taiz city, the principal city of the governorate, in the part under the control of the Houthis, about 500 meters away from the Special Forces Camp - formerly Central Security - one of the military sites that represent an advanced line of engagement as the forces of the Yemeni government controls the areas that next to the Camp, which is located on a horizontal line with the location of the Republican Palace and the Protocol Camp, all of which are Houthi military sites. These sites divide the city into eastern (Al-Hawban) and western (city center) areas. The hills which have military importance to the Houthis surround Qaa Iblis neighborhood, the nearest of which is the Yemen International Hospital hill (in the north) at a distance of less than 400 meters, which is the closest military site to the hospital, and the Sofitel hill next to the Salalah hill (south). The hills overlooking the military sites form an important military cover to prevent government forces from advancing to Houthi positions.
A satellite image from Google Earth, of the eastern part of Taiz city. Green: the Houthis, red: lines of engagement, blue: government forces
The incident
In the early morning hours of 25 February 2022, military confrontations in Taiz started between government forces and the Houthi forces east of Taiz. The confrontations included shelling exchange from both sides in Salh district, the area that includes, in addition to the military sites, civilian objects within the control of the two sides that were subjected to heavy shelling, including civilian houses and Al Wahda Maternity and Children Hospital.
A screenshot of Taiz Axis Media Center tweet
Time
The first report on the shelling of the hospital was a tweet by Al-Masirah - Urgent at 08:34 am, around the time that photos from government-affiliated areas of shelling east of the city were published, making the likely time range of the shelling between 07:30 and 08:40 in the morning.
A screenshot of the first report of the shelling by Al-Masirah – Urgent Twitter account
A phot from Hilmi Al-Jabri Facebook account, from the areas controlled by the Yemeni government forces, showing the exchange of shelling at 07:23 am.
Location
Al Wahda Maternity and Children Hospital is located in Qaa Iblis neighborhood in Salh district, one of the main districts of Taiz city, the principal city of Taiz governorate. The hospital is in the eastern part of the city which is under the control of the Houthis, at the coordinates: 13.589173106120613, 44.03733595079584
A screenshot from Al Masirah video, and a satellite image from Google Earth
A screenshot from Al Masirah video, and a satellite image from Google Earth
Probable ammunition
The video of Al-Masirah TV showed the location of the projectile impact on the roof of the hospital. The video shows scattered small pieces of concrete, no more than 400 grams in size. This effect is usually caused by an 81/82 mm mortar. The video also shows what appears to be the propeller of the projectile embedded in the roof. The way the shrapnel is scattered supports that the ammunition was a mortar.
A screenshot from Al Masirah video, showing small concrete pieces resulting from the impact of an 81/82 mm mortar shell, on the roof of the hospital
A screenshot from Al Masirah video, apparently showing a mortar propeller on the roof of the hospital
A screenshot from Al Masirah video, showing the spread of shrapnel on the roof of the hospital
A screenshot from Al Masirah video, showing the spread of shrapnel on the roof of the hospital
Probable responsibility
Through the images published by 22nd Mecha Taiz Brigade on Facebook, which is one of the government brigades affiliated with the Taiz axis, we can determine the area in which the battle was taking place, and thus know the direction of the fire exchange on 25 February 2022. One of the images shows that the location of the Republican Palace - under the control of the Houthis - which was bombed by the Yemeni government forces, is located on a straight line along with Al Wahda Hospital and the site of the photographer documenting the battle from government forces positions, which places the hospital under the line of artillery fire coming from both directions south and east.
Drawing a straight line from where the mortar shell came leads us to the areas controlled by the government forces, crossing the site of the Republican Palace, which means that the shell that hit the hospital was fired by the forces affiliated with the Yemeni government.
A screenshot from Al Masirah video, and a satellite image from Google Earth
A satellite image from google earth showing the lines of engagement between the Yemeni government forces and the Houthis, and the location of the hospital, as well as the nearby military sites (the Republican Palace - Special Forces Camp – Protocols Camp). Red line: clash lines, Light blue line: virtual mortar shell line.
Physical damage
The shelling of the hospital roof caused damage to the panels of the solar energy system that supply the hospital with electricity, and damaged several water tanks, as well as windows on the roof.
A screenshot from Al Masirah video
A screenshot from Al Masirah video
A screenshot from Al Masirah video
Violations of international law
Civilian objects are protected under International Humanitarian Law. Hospitals should be respected and protected in all circumstances. Targeting hospitals may constitute a war crime. In addition to criminalizing deliberate targeting of hospitals, international law stresses the need to take all possible measures to:
- avoid damage to civilian objects such as hospitals during attacks.
- protect civilian objects such as hospitals from the effects of attacks launched by the opposing party.
All parties to the conflict in Yemen must take all possible measures to avoid harming civilian objects and life-saving infrastructure and protect them, including hospitals. Inaccurate weapons such as mortars and artillery shells must not be used in populated areas or that include civilian objects. Also, the parties bear the responsibility to take all possible precautionary measures to protect civilians and civilian objects in their areas of control from the effects of attacks, including by not deploying military targets in populated areas, and removing them as far as possible.
Unintentional damage to civilian objects does not absolve the parties from liability for these damages, but rather requires them to take the necessary measures to change the situation that led to the damage to the hospital in order to ensure that such incidents do not recur, in addition to compensating for the damage they caused.
Victims
No casualties were reported by the available sources.
Conclusion
Yemeni Archive concluded that an 81/82 mm mortar shell, fired by government forces in Taiz axis on the morning of 25 February fell on Al Wahda Maternity and Children Hospital in Qaa Iblis neighborhood, east of Taiz city. That day military confrontations between government forces and the Houthis started in areas of clashes near the hospital.