The internationally recognized Yemeni government strongly condemned the Houthi group's threats and obstruction of commercial flights to Al-Mukha International Airport, located on the western coast of Taiz Governorate. The government considered this action a dangerous escalation that exacerbates the humanitarian suffering of Yemeni citizens and confirms the militia's continued destructive approach to infrastructure and the siege of the Yemeni people, disregarding all regional and international efforts aimed at achieving peace.
The strategic and humanitarian importance of Al-Mukha Airport
This condemnation comes at a time when residents of the liberated areas, particularly in Taiz and the western coast, were counting on the reopening of Mocha Airport as a vital lifeline to alleviate the years-long siege imposed upon them. Mocha Airport, recently rehabilitated to international standards and designated with the international code (OYMK), is a crucial gateway intended to facilitate travel for patients, students, and expatriates, sparing them the arduous journey of many hours along rugged and dangerous mountain roads to reach Aden or Seiyun airports, thus reducing costs and effort for citizens.
The context of the siege and the Houthis' ongoing violations
This ban cannot be separated from the broader context of the conflict in Yemen, where the Houthi group has imposed a suffocating siege on the densely populated city of Taiz for over nine years, causing one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. The threat to target the airport or prevent airlines from landing there is part of the group's policy of collective punishment against civilians in areas outside its control. This incident adds to a long list of violations against civilian infrastructure, including previous attacks on ports and oil facilities, further jeopardizing the country's security and economic stability.
Calls for urgent international intervention
Amid these developments, the Yemeni government reiterated its demand that the United Nations, the international community, and the UN and US envoys take a firm and clear stance against these practices, which undermine de-escalation efforts. Government sources indicated that international silence regarding the Houthi threats to air and sea navigation emboldens the group to persist in its crimes. The continued closure of Mocha Airport constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and a war crime that warrants accountability, as it deprives millions of Yemenis of their fundamental right to freedom of movement, travel, and access to medical treatment abroad.
