Houthis Accused of Teen Abductions

The Houthi militias have been recenlty accused of training hundreds of kids and teens in combat at over 626 summer camps in Yemen's Ibb province.

Yemenis are worried about a rise in teen kidnappings, blaming the Houthi leaders for using the abductions for extortion and recruitment.

A security source said that there’s been a worrying increase in teen kidnappings in the province. Recent incidents, numbering over seven, have targeted teenagers in places like Ibb city and other districts.

The source blames Houthi leaders for these abductions, which coincide with escalating chaos and security issues in Ibb. One recent case involved a teenager named Musa Al-Zuhairi abducted while shopping in Al-Udain district; his whereabouts are unknown.

Despite family reports to Houthi authorities, no action has been taken. Houthi supervisors recently rounded up children and teens in Al-Udain district, transporting them to join summer camps and participate in rallies without informing their families.

Sources suspect that teenager Al-Zuhairi may have been forced by the group to join them, adding to a series of recent abductions involving teens and young men across Ibb.

Prior to Al-Zuhairi’s disappearance, brothers Issam and Adham were kidnapped in Yareem district. Their relatives are still searching for them, blaming the Houthis for their vanishings.

As the Houthi push to recruit students for their summer camps faces community resistance, sources in Ibb accuse group leaders of orchestrating abductions for recruitment and revenge against families who refuse to send their kids to the camps.