Aden (South24 Center)

Thousands of citizens gathered on Tuesday morning, September 30, for the funeral of Iftihan Al-Mashhari, Director of the Taiz Cleanliness Fund, who was shot dead in a dastardly attack on September 18. 

The mourners moved in a solemn procession that departed from Al-Saeed Mosque in the city center before heading to her hometown in Ma'afar District for burial.

Live footage and local social media posts showed crowds gathering around the mosque and lining the streets as the procession passed, with both official and popular figures present. Chants demanding justice and accountability for the perpetrators rent the air throughout.

 Funeral Scene, Activists – September 30, 2025

In a symbolic tribute, the procession paused near the Cleanliness Fund building that the late director had managed, reflecting her professional and social standing and her role in improving sanitation services in a city grappling for years with severe service delivery and security challenges.

Local accounts shared images and videos of the procession passing the building, as crowds continued to accompany the coffin along the route toward the southern countryside of the governorate.

The burial ceremony culminated preparations previously announced by Al-Mashhari’s family, who had specified the timing and route of the funeral.

Coinciding with the funeral, a youth-led community initiative was launched to plant five thousand trees across the city, honoring Al-Mashhari’s memory and continuing the afforestation projects she had overseen during her tenure at the Fund.

The funeral came days after Taiz police announced the killing of the main suspect during a raid in the northern part of the city, on September 24. This was followed by security statements confirming the detention of additional suspects as part of a broader campaign targeting individuals wanted in connection with other murder cases.

The killing of the main suspect sparked human rights debates concerning evidence collection and investigative procedures, especially after a video circulated showing the suspect, hours before his death, speaking about directives he claimed to have received from military leaders belonging to the Islah Party to carry out the crime.

Funeral Scene, Activists – September 30, 2025

Since Al-Mashhari’s assassination on September 18, when she was shot by gunmen on a motorcycle, Taiz has witnessed angry vigils, sanitation service strikes, and local and international political and human rights demands for a swift and transparent investigation.

The assassination was not merely an isolated criminal act but occurred within a volatile security and political context that Taiz has endured for years, marked by fragmented military loyalties and widespread chaos amid the absence of a unified central authority.

Al-Mashhari was one of the few women leaders to rise to prominence in managing critical public service facilities in Taiz Governorate. She had previously submitted official memos to the Taiz Governor warning that she had received death threats.

The crime ignited widespread anger across Taiz and Yemen, with UN Envoy Hans Grundberg describing her murder as “a shock and a major setback,” and calling for a transparent investigation to ensure justice.