Sanaa (South24)

The Houthi group in Yemen has buried 126 unidentified bodies in the Northern governorates of Saada and Hodeidah over the past few days, according to statements released by the Iran-backed group's controlled media.

On Sunday, October 6, the Houthi-run Saba news agency reported the burial of 66 unidentified bodies from Al-Thawra Hospital in Hodeidah governorate, “in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross.” The Public Prosecution handled the legal procedures for the burials, the report said. 

On Thursday, October 3, the agency reported that “the Public Prosecution carried out, in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross, the burial of 60 unidentified bodies, which were kept in the refrigerator of the Republican Hospital in Saada Governorate.”

Saada, a governorate located in the far north of Yemen, is considered the main stronghold of the Houthis and the birthplace of the group's leader, Abdulmalik Al-Houthi.

The Houthi statement on Saada claimed that some of the deceased were of African nationalities who had died near the Saudi border, either from natural causes or from incidents involving Saudi border guards.”

Concerns have been raised by Yemeni activists and journalists that some of the deceased, buried under mysterious circumstances, may have been victims of torture in Houthi detention facilities.

In April 2023, South24 Center released a report containing testimonies from former prisoners in Sanaa. These individuals, released in prisoner exchange deals, detailed the atrocities committed by the Houthis against detainees, including acts of torture that in many cases, led to their deaths.