Asharq Al-Awsat

Iran-backed Houthi militias are creating dozens of graveyards designated for the dozens killed in the battle waged against the internationally-recognized government and state institutions in Yemen. Most these cemeteries are marked land plots in coup-held areas.

Local sources in the capital Sana’a, Ibb, Dhamar, Amran, Mahweet and Sa’ada, speaking under the condition of anonymity, revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat that the Houthi militias have recently created scores of new graves in these governorates due to the increasing number of deaths caused in clashes with the national army.

Sources also pointed out Houthi militiamen used force to seize and transform privately-owned land plots that belong to Yemenis living outside. Some of the land also belongs to the Islamic Awqaf authority.

The surface area of each new cemetery is estimated at one kilometer square. According to the internationally-recognized government, Houthis directly control 75 percent of land plots in areas they hold.

Local residents have complained that militia supervisors have continued to loot their land and their families at gunpoint.

Activists in Sana’a revealed that they received information confirming the Houthi insurgents has established hundreds of cemeteries so far.

Activists and those with knowledge of the matter said that Dhamar alone is hosting more than 30 new graveyards established by Houthis.

In addition, Yemeni local sources revealed that within three years the insurgents created more than 16 cemeteries in Sana’a alone, distributed over 10 directorates.