Taiz: 3000 Days of the Biggest «Besieging» in Yemen

3000 days passed since the Houthis militia imposed a siege on Taiz which caused a multi-level humanitarian crisis.

The Houthis blocked the main Hawaban road and others. This pushed people to resort to debilitating bumpy roads that take hours to move between the areas controlled by the internationally-recognized government and those under the Houthi grip.

The siege has hindered the flow of goods, medicine and gas causing great suffering to people at both sides. This is in addition to the acts of war, especially by the Houthi fighters. Including clashes and sniping.

The Houthis have blocked main roads such as Al-Hawaban, Jawlat Al-Kasr (east of Taiz), Jawlat Sofitel (east of Al-Arbaeen) and Al-Siteen. They are short and paved roads and serve as main lifelines in Taiz to supply goods, medical commodities, fuel and humanitarian aid. Moreover, Al-Hawaban, controlled by the Houthis, serves as the Taiz's economic gateway.

 

Millions in Taiz and the surrounding countryside in 7 districts including Salh, Al-Mudhaffar, Al-Qahirah, Jabal Habashy, Maqbansh, Al-Taiziyah and Sabir Al Mawadim are under siege. These areas have become fully isolated from those controlled by the Houthis in the north, east and west of Taiz.

Moreover, road blocking has isolated these governmental areas from the neighboring governorates of Taiz such as Ibb and Hodeidah as well as Al-Dhalea and Lahj in South Yemen.

To escape this big prison, people are forced to move through long and mountainous roads such as "Al-Aqrod" (west of Sabir), Jabal Habashy and a third road that passes through Samea district. The latter is used in case of blocking the first two roads according to driver Abdullah Kamel who spoke to "South24 Center".

The dangerous Al-Aqrod is 60 km long. It connects the besieged city of Taiz with Al-Hawaban in the east. It is a mountainous road that passes through Al-Aqrod area and Taluq Mountains, located south of the city and its lower valleys.

The travelers of this road pass through a vast geographical area with varying terrain. The trip starts with Al-Dabav area in the west of the city. It then passes through Najd Qassim in Al-Misrakh district, Al-Aqrod in Sabir Al Mawadim, Dimnat Khadir, Al-Rahidah, Naqil Al-Ebil and Al-Hawaban.

The Jabal Habashy-Sharaab junction road passes through Al-Dabab, Jabal Habashy junction, Al-Saelah, towering Habashy Mountain, Sarlat Al-Saeam, Al-Akhlod, Al-Eyar, Hajdah, Al-Ramada, Al-Rabeei and Sharaab junction which leads to several other districts. 

These alternative roads lack barriers, mobile services, rescue teams and traffic signs. They also need maintenance.

The Haijat Al-Abd road which connects Taiz with Lahj is considered the only lifeline that supplies Taiz with different life needs such as food products after the Houthis closed other passages in the areas under their control near Lahj. However, this road is also dangerous and bumpy and has witnessed many accidents.

 

Government employee Naif Abdullah told "South24 Center": "My trip to Al-Hawaban took only less than 15 min. It was comfortable, short, less dangerous and cheap. I used to pay only 100 riyals. However, all of that changed years ago and I am no longer able to do so. I currently have to pass through dangerous roads for 7 hours in 4x4 cars. The cost of taxis are about 15,000 Yemeni riyals (new government edition of riyal) or 8000 Yemeni riyals (old edition in areas under Houthi control)".