Civilian Impact Monitoring Report

April 2018

Mountain Town, Yemen by Rod Waddington

A bi-monthly report on civilian impact from armed violence in Al-Hudaydah, Sa’ada, Sana’a, Capital and Marib.

February 1 - March 28, 2018. Table of content

Executive Summary 3

Introduction 6 Methodology 6

Section 1: Overall Data trends 7 1.1. Conﬂict developments December & January 7 1.2. Civilian impact 8 1.3. Direct protection implication 10 1.4. Indirect protection implication 11 1.5. Geographical spread of incidents 12 1.6. Type of armed violence 14 1.7. Type of impact per governorate 15 1.8. Civilian casualties 16 1.9. Casualties per type of armed violence 18

Section 2: Al-Hudaydah 19 2.1 Conﬂict developments December & January 19 2.2 Civilian impact & protection implication 20 2.3 Geographical spread 22 2.4 Type of armed violence and casualties over time 24

Section 3: Sa’ada 25 3.1. Conﬂict developments December & January 25 3.2. Civilian impact & protection implication 26 3.3. Geographical spread 28 3.4. Type of armed violence and casualties over time 31

Section 4: Sana'a Hub 32

4.1. Conﬂict developments December & January 32 4.2. Civilian impact & protection implication 33 4.3.1. Geographical spread Capital 35 4.3.1. Geographical spread Sana'a 37 4.3.1. Geographical spread Marib 39 4.4. Type of armed violence and casualties over time 41

Executive summary Key Trends There was little change in the overall conﬂict during February and March. Fighting characterised by airstrikes and shelling continued on the major frontlines in Hajja, Al-Jawf, Nihm, Marib, Taiz, Al-Bayda and Lahj, including regular reports of civilian casualties, both on and away from frontline areas. Meanwhile, missiles continued to be launched across the border into Saudi Arabia, including the capital Riyadh, which prompted retaliatory airstrikes on locations in Yemen, including civilian areas.

However, in the five target governorates there was an overall slowdown in hostilities, especially in Sana’a governorate and Marib. As a result, the civilian impact from conflict events in the five governorates fell in February and March compared to the prior two months.

 CIMP recorded 252 incidents with civilian impact compared to 322 in the previous reporting period, a 21% decrease in incidents.

 Sa’ada again saw the most incidents, 141, more than twice as many as the next highest, Al-Hudaydah, where 65 incidents were recorded.

 As a result of this decrease in incidents, the reporting period saw a corresponding fall in the number of civilian casualties, which reduced from 818 to 439, a 46% decrease.

 In particular, the deadliness of the incidents decreased, with the number of civilian fatalities declining from 507 to 202 (-61%), almost three times the fall in incidents.

 However, although the number of civilian casualties fell, the number of child and female casualties increased. The percentage of civilian casualties that were children or women more than doubled from 16% to 36%.

 As with the previous reporting period, the vast majority of incidents were the result of airstrikes, which caused 160 incidents (63% of the total), a slight decrease from the two-third of incidents caused by airstrikes last month. This was followed by shelling, 71 incidents (28%); UXO, 8 incidents (3%); SAF, 7 incidents (3%); landmines, 3 incidents (1%); armed clashes, 2 incidents (1%); and IEDs, 1 incident (1%).

 As with the previous reporting period, airstrikes were the deadliest type of armed violence, accounting for 75% of the total civilian casualties. This, though, is a decrease from the previous period, when airstrikes caused 90% of the civilian casualties.

 Of the 252 incidents in the reporting period, 202 were assessed to have generated psychosocial trauma (80%, a slight drop from the 85% of incidents in December and January). Vulnerability was also recorded in 193 incidents, 77% of the total number of incidents, a 3% increase from the previous period.

 The 252 recorded incidents of civilian impact from armed violence generated damage to 682 civilian structures. The largest change in the impact on civilian structures was on farms, which almost doubled from the previous two months, rising from 56 to 111, a 98% increase. All of the other categories of civilian structures saw a decrease compared to the previous period.

 The direct civilian impact caused by the armed violence decreased compared to the previous 2-month reporting period. Loss of livelihood was the greatest direct civilian impact, affecting 510 households (a 29% decrease). The largest decrease was in terms of displacement, which fell from 1,268 to 465 (-63%). This was primarily the result of a slowdown in armed clashes in both southern Al-Hudaydah and the capital.

 The number of incidents with an indirect civilian impact also fell; however, the assessed protection implication of these incidents was unchanged due to the large number of households that may potentially have been affected by damage to critical infrastructure and other key facilities. More than 1 million households were again assessed to have potentially experienced some form of restricted access to infrastructure across the ﬁve governorates

3 Executive summary

Al-Hudaydah

After a lull in ﬁghting in southern Al-Hudaydah in January, armed clashes resumed from 5 February, spreading from Al- Khawkhah into Hays. The renewed military offensive swiftly pushed northwards through the centre of the district towards neighbouring Al-Garrahi in the ﬁrst week of the month, but their progress has since stalled. Fighting has subsequently slowed, and airstrikes were again the primary form of armed violence in the governorate.

 The level of civilian impact incidents in Al-Hudaydah remained at the same level with the previous two months, with 65 incidents reported in February and March compared to the 64 in December and January, an average of 32 incidents per month.

 Although the number of incidents remained steady, the number of civilian casualties in these incidents more than halved between the two reporting periods. In February-March, 141 casualties were reported in Al-Hudaydah, compared to 284 in the prior two months. This was mainly the result of a drop in the number of fatalities, which fell from 200 to 76, a 62% decrease.

 Farms were overwhelmingly the most frequently impacted civilian infrastructure in Al-Hudaydah, accounting for 42% of the total, almost three times as many as the next highest. Almost twice as many incidents impacted on farms in February and March (27) compared to December and January (15).

 The direct protection implications also reduced compared to December and January period. This was particularly the case for displacement, which saw a reduction from 800 households in the previous period to only 17 reported in this period. This was in large due to displacement only being recorded when armed violence impacted directly on house, whereas displacement during December-January was also recorded for households that ﬂed due to exposure to armed conﬂict. Loss of livelihood as a direct protection implication increased from 122 to 182, in large part due to the frequent impact recorded on farms in the governorate.

 Civilian impact incidents in Al-Hudadyah in February and March were concentrated in the south of the governorate similar to the last period. However, the focus shifted slightly from Al-Khawkhah as the main hotspot for ﬁghting to Hays (19 incidents), Al-Garrahi (12 incidents) and Al-Tuhayat (9 incidents).

Sa'ada

Sa’ada remained the most heavily bombed governorate in the country, seeing more than twice as many air raids over the two- month reporting period as the next highest governorate, Hajja. The bombardment was especially heavy in late-February/early- March, preceding the launch of a military operation across the Yemen-Saudi border into the west of Razih, in which several sites near the border were reportedly captured. These gains were temporarily reversed before being retaken as armed clashes continued through the ﬁrst half of March, before slowing again in the second half of the month as after the initial success the offensive failed to make further progress.

 Compared to the previous two months, the level of incidents in Sa’ada was consistent, seeing only a very slight drop from 144 to 141.

 As a result, the most civilian casualties were also recorded in Sa’ada (203), but this was a 23% decrease from the December- January total (263). As with the previous period, a high percentage of the casualties were children and women (43%).

 Sa’ada saw the most houses and farms damaged during February and March (492), especially in the west of the governorate near the Saudi border. This was more than 7 times the next highest governorate, Al-Hudaydah (70 houses and farms).

4 Executive summary

 These incidents resulted in 323 households being displaced, a 48% increase from the previous two months. 174 households were also assessed to have experienced a loss of livelihood over this period, which was only a 13% increase.

 As with the previous reporting period, Sa’ada saw the most widespread civilian impact among the ﬁve target governorates. Incidents were recorded in 13 of the governorate’s 15 districts.

·Airstrikes were the primary cause of civilian impact incidents – accounting for 49% of the total incidents – this was a signiﬁcant drop-off from the 75% of incidents from the previous two-month period. Shelling incidents increased, more than doubling from 20% of the total incidents to 42%, mainly in the west of the governorate.

Sana’a hub: Capital, Sana'a & Marib

The overall situation was largely unchanged in the Sana'a hub. Hostilities continued to be concentrated in Sirwah in western Marib and Nihm in the north-east of Sana’a, with occasional airstrikes on other districts in Sana’a governorate and on the capital.

 Civilian impact incidents in the Sana’a hub reduced by 60% during the reporting period, compared to December-January. This was in large due to the cessation of street ﬁghting in the capital.

 Civilian impact was concentrated in three districts in the hub: Bani Harith in the capital, Nihm in Sana'a governorate and Sirwah in Marib.

 The number of casualties also fell from 270 to 95, a reduction of around two thirds (65%). In the capital alone, casualties reduced from 165 recorded in December-January to 60 casualties recorded in February-March.

 This was largely the result of a reduction in airstrikes, which decreased by almost 50% in the hub, compared to the December- January peak.

 Destruction of houses and farms accounted for the highest civilian impact during the period, making up 33 incidents of the total 46 recorded in the hub (72%).

 Together with destruction of local businesses, this generated a direct protection implication of 123 households being displaced and 112 households losing livelihood, which marked a decrease of 66% compared to the December-January period.

 Targeting of vehicles and exposure to armed conﬂict generated a direct protection implication of restricted freedom of movement for an estimated 4 households, a drop from 41 (-90%) households during the previous reporting period.

The repeated air raids on Sana’a International Airport generated a restricted access to infrastructure, tentatively affecting an estimated number of 485,284 households, the entire population of the governorate.

5 The Civilian Impact Monitoring Project Introduction

The Civilian Impact Monitoring Project (CIMP) is a monitoring mechanism for real-time collection, analysis and dissemination of data on the civilian impact from armed violence in Yemen, with the purpose of informing and complementing protection programming.

CIMP is a service under the Protection Cluster Yemen and is currently implemented as a pilot project targeting 5 governorates; Al- Hudaydah, Sa’ada, Sana’a Governorate, Sana’a Capital and Marib.

CIMP collect, analyse and disseminate data in real-time to allow for early warning and early protection response directed at communities affected by armed violence, including new and emerging local conﬂicts. This is done through weekly ﬂash reports on impact from armed violence in the monitored governorates, including protection forecast and information on victim assistance needs.

The bi-monthly report aims to strengthen the understanding of how armed violence across Yemen impacts on communities over time, including by understanding trends and patterns in the types of violence, its geographic spread and the subsequent impact on civilians, in order to inform long-term protection planning and response, strengthen prevention and mitigation strategies and inform advocacy at both local, national and international level for increased protection of civilians caught in armed conﬂict.

Methodology

CIMP collects data via three layers of information; the first layer consist of systematic, open source data on all incidents of armed violence. The data from the first layer is filtered by the CIMP team in order to evaluate incidents with possible civilian impact and those incidents are then cross-referenced to the extent possible, before going through the second layer of information, which consists of supplementary information and verification achieved through contact to protection cluster partners in the field. Finally, the data is regularly triangulated with other humanitarian databases.

The data presented in this report consist of a combination of unverified open source data, cross referenced open source data, eye witness accounts and incidents verified by protection cluster partners, and thus the data as a whole should not be treated as independently verified. CIMP works continuously on updating and verifying data, and can be contacted anytime with further information on incidents as well as enquiries on data and level of verification of specific incidents.

CIMP monitors civilian impact that occurs after an incident of armed violence have taken place, thus CIMP numbers on displacement, loss of livelihood and restriction of movements/obstruction to ﬂight only covers households that have experienced a direct impact from armed violence, e.g. a house destroyed or a vehicle hit. Therefore, CIMP data does not include full numbers of people being displaced, loosing livelihood or experiencing restricted freedom of movement/obstruction to ﬂight, where numbers are naturally much higher than what is captured by CIMP.

Civilian impact incidents recorded by CIMP are divided into direct and indirect impact, with associated direct and indirect protection implications. Direct impact includes incidents in which individuals or households are directly affected by the incident, e.g. damage to houses and farms, damage to markets and local businesses, impact on vehicles or as well as exposure to UXOs and armed conﬂict generating casualties. Indirect impact can broadly be deﬁned as incidents of armed violence impacting on infrastructure and basic services and in turn restricting access of civilians to various vital services, infrastructure and goods, e.g. healthcare, education, food and water and infrastructure. Due to the nature of the indirect impact, the number of households impacted is often much higher than during direct impact.

6 Section 1: Overall data trends

1.1. Conﬂict developments February & March

There was little change in the overall conﬂict during February and March. Fighting characterised by airstrikes and shelling continued on the major frontlines in Hajja, Al-Jawf, Nihm, Marib, Taiz, Al-Bayda and Lahj, including regular reports of civilian casualties, both on and away from frontline areas.

Al-Bayda was the most dynamic front in the conﬂict. The military offensive that entered the east of the governorate from Shabwa made further steady advances throughout the reporting period, pushing through Natie district into central Al-Malajim, where strategic road hubs to neighbouring governorates are located.

In Taiz, there was a surge in ﬁghting in the provincial capital in February. Sustained assaults were launched on both the eastern and western side of the city to seize strategic sites on the two fronts and break the deadlock that the city has settled into. But, these failed to make a breakthrough, and the respective areas of control of the armed factions remained unchanged.

Behind the frontlines, the outbreak of inﬁghting between rival security forces in the southern port city of Aden ended in late- January after days of heavy armed clashes. The main lines of the resultant political compromise came into view, with the authority of southern armed forces being both formalised and extended. However, the city has continued to be beset by insecurity, including car bombings, IEDs, assassinations, armed clashes and criminality. The situation was less chaotic in other southern areas, but military operations are ongoing in Abyan, Shabwa and Hadramawt to secure critical infrastructure across these governorates.

Meanwhile, missiles continued to be launched across the border into Saudi Arabia, including the capital Riyadh, which prompted retaliatory airstrikes on locations in Yemen, including civilian areas.

In the ﬁve target governorates, the lull in ﬁghting that followed the launch of a military operation into southern Al-Hudaydah in January was broken in early-February. The offensive pushed into Hays, making rapid initial gains, before stalling in the north of the district. The reporting period was marked by almost-daily airstrikes, primarily on the south of the governorate, especially in areas along the two main north-south roads. Following initial reports of landmines being planted near the frontlines in Al-Hudaydah February and March witnessed three incidents of civilians impacted by landmines.

Airstrikes also continued to frequently hit Sa’ada throughout the reporting period, resulting in the usual pattern of almost daily attacks on civilian structures in the northern governorate. As has been the trend in Sa’ada, districts along the Yemen-Saudi border were the most frequently targeted, including Kitaf, Baqim and Razih. In the ﬁrst half of March, hostilities also broke out in western Razih district and border districts witnessed heavy shelling. UXOs continued to pose a risk to civilians in Sa’ada, with six incidents in which civilians were injured or killed by UXOs reported during February and March.

In the Sana’a hub (Sana’a governorate, Sana’a city and Marib), the overall situation was unchanged. Hostilities continued to be concentrated in Sirwah in western Marib and Nihm in the north-east of Sana’a, with occasional airstrikes on other districts in Sana’a governorate and on the capital.

Women 32

7 Overall data trends

1.2. Civilian impact

As the level of hostilities decreased in several areas, in particular, the capital, Sana’s governorate and Marib, the number of civilian impact incidents also fell. In February and March, CIMP recorded 252 incidents with civilian impact compared to 322 in the previous reporting period, a 21% fall in incidents. This was mainly due to a signiﬁcant fall in incidents in the Sana’a hub, with a 60% decrease in number of recorded incidents in Marib, Sana’a and the Capital combined, meanwhile Sa’ada and Al-Hudaydah experienced a similar level of incidents as in the previous reporting period. IDPs 1 As a result of this drop in incidents, the reporting period saw a Children 21 corresponding fall in the number of civilian casualties, which Women 16 fell from 818 to 439, a 46% decrease. Of note, the decline in casualty numbers was more than twice the fall in civilian impact incidents of the two reporting periods. In particular, the Vulnerability - Civilian impact deadliness of the incidents decreased, with the number of civilian fatalities declining from 507 to 202 (-61%), almost three times the fall in incidents. The number of civilians injured by armed violence also fell, from 311 to 237, but this was only a 24% decrease, largely in-line with the change in incidents Women/Children 155 between the two periods.

H owever, although the number of civilian casualties fell, the number of child and female casualties increased. There were 92

child casualties and 64 female casualties compared to 91 and 43 in the previous period. As such, the percentage of civilian

casualties that were children or women more than doubled from 16% to 36%. Of the 252 incidents in the reporting period, 202 were assessed to have generated psychosocial trauma (80%, a fall from the 85% of incidents in December and January). Vulnerability was also recorded in 193 incidents, 77% of the total number of incidents, a 3% increase from the previous period. These included 155 incidents that impacted on both women and children, 21 incidents that only impacted children, 10 incidents that only impacted women, and 1 incident that impacted on existing IDPs.

Civilian impact comparison Dec-Jan to Feb-March

550 500 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0

s s s s . t e e e d d d .. n ti ti ti re re re u e li li li ju ju ju ra id a a a n n n t c at at at I i i l in f f f d n ia l l d n il e c a ta il e h m o t o h C o s To T C m o o W ch W sy P

Dec-Jan Feb-March 8 Overall data trends

The 252 recorded incidents of civilian impact from armed violence generated damage to 682 civilian structures. As with the previous reporting period, houses were again the civilian structures most commonly impacted by armed violence. 265 houses were reportedly damaged in February and March, a 15% decrease from the prior two-month period. But, in addition to houses, 198 households comprising both houses and farms/livestock were also damaged (in some rural areas farms and houses are co-located), representing a 15% increase.

The largest change in the impact on civilian structures, though, was on farms, which almost doubled from the previous two months, rising from 56 to 111, a 98% increase. As with the previous period, Sa’ada saw the most houses and farms damaged during February and March, especially in the west of the governorate near the Saudi border. This was followed by Al-Hudaydah, where the main hotspot was in southern districts near the active fronts. The damage to houses and/or farms was almost exclusively caused by airstrikes and shelling.

All of the other categories of civilian structures saw a decrease compared to the previous period. The number of civilian infrastructure sites damaged dropped from 38 to 23; civilian vehicles from 33 to 20, local businesses from 16 to 10; food and water from 6 to 5; markets from 10 to 4; educational sites from 10 to 2; protected sites from 6 to 2; healthcare facilities from 5 to 2; aid sites from 3 to 1; civilian gatherings from 3 to 0; and prisons from 1 to 0.

This broad decline in the number of civilian structures damaged reflects the overall decrease in the number of civilian impact incidents in February and March due to the slowdown in hostilities in the five target governorates. However, although the number of structures damaged fell, this does not reflect the overall impact of armed violence on the civilian population in the 5 governorates, both direct and indirect, the protection implications of which remained high, especially in Sa’ada and Al-Hudaydah.

Civilian Structures Damaged: 682

Houses Farms 265 111

e 3 r

Exposure 2 u Vehicles t

armed c u 20 r t

Houses and farms conﬂict s a r 198 29 f n I

n a i l i v i C

Local Business 10

Education 2 Health 2 Market 4 Protected sites 2 Food and water 5

Exposure to UXO 8 First responders 2 Aid 1

9 Overall data trends

1.3. Direct protection implication

The impact from armed violence on civilian’s lives, causing injuries and fatalities, as well as the impact on civilian structures, generated direct and indirect protection implications for the local populations in the ﬁve target governorates.

The direct civilian impact caused by armed violence decreased in February and March compared to the previous 2-month reporting period. The number of incidents assessed to have a direct protection implication fell from 289 to 256 (an 11% decrease). As a result, all of the direct protection implication categories decreased between the two reporting periods.

The largest proportional fall was in the number of households that experienced obstruction to flight, which decreased by 100%, with no reported incidents in the February-March period, compared to 11 incidents and 170 households affected in December and January. These were mainly recorded in the capital during the fierce street fighting in early-December, but the situation in the city was quiet in the past two months.

The largest decrease in the number of affected households was in terms of displacement, which fell from 1268 to 465 (63%). This was primarily the result of a slowdown in armed clashes in both southern Al-Hudaydah and the capital. In Al-Hudaydah, the initial outbreak of fighting in the governorate forced families to flee their homes in Al-Khawkhah and surrounding districts, but over subsequent months the intensity of the fighting has decreased, with the exception of a few short periods, and the location of the fighting has also shifted from populated areas to more rural areas.

Compared to the previous reporting period, loss of livelihood was the greatest direct civilian impact, affecting 510 households across the ﬁve governorates (a 29% decrease). As with the last two months, these were mainly in Sa’ada and Al-Hudaydah, where farms and businesses were impacted by shelling and airstrikes, a trend seen over the four months of the project.

The other direct protection implication was restricted freedom of movement and assembly, which impacted 89 households, a 34% decrease from the previous period. As with December and January, this was largely the result of when civilian gatherings were targeted by armed violence and when civilians were killed or injured while traveling on roads or moving by feet in urban as well as rural areas

DIRECT PROTECTION IMPLICATION

Restricted freedom Loss of Movement and Obstruction to Displacement Livelihood Assembly ﬂight

465 510 89 0

Number of Number of Number of Number of affected households affected households affected households affected households

Number of Number of Number of Number of Incidents Incidents Incidents Incidents 111 97 48 0 10 Overall data trends

1.4. Indirect protection implication

The number of incidents with an indirect civilian impact fell in the February-March reporting period compared to the previous month. However, the assessed protection implication of these incidents was unchanged due to the large number of households that may potentially have been affected by damage to critical infrastructure and other key facilities.

As with the previous reporting period, the greatest indirect protection implication was from attacks on infrastructure, which included airports, main roads, bridges, telecommunication and fuel stations. More than 1 million households were again assessed to have potentially experienced some form of restricted access to infrastructure across the ﬁve governorates. This was largely the result of airstrikes on airports in Al-Hudaydah and the capital, and attacks on roads in Al-Hudaydah and Sa’ada. In particular, the civilian airport in Sana’a city is the only functioning airport in the north of Yemen, albeit with its operations highly limited at the moment, and damage to the facility has a potentially wide-ranging impact on the civilian population of the city as well as surrounding districts.

In terms of roads and bridges, the main north-south roads running from the frontlines in southern AL-Hudaydah to Hudaydah city were the focus of armed violence throughout the two months as the main supply lines to the southern front, especially from airstrikes. Air raids on roads have also been a common characteristic of the hostilities in Sa’ada over the three years of the current conﬂict.

The number of households indirectly impacted by restricted access to basic needs was also largely unchanged, with more than 19,000 households assessed as experiencing some form of restricted access to vital items such as water, food and aid. This was primarily in the form of armed violence impacting water facilities, including a desalination plant, water drills and trucks carrying water supplies, as well as attacks on an aid truck.

There was, though, a signiﬁcant decrease in the number of households that experienced restricted access to basic services, which fell from 493,237 to 23,102. This was partly the result of a decrease in incidents, which dropped by two-thirds, and that smaller, more local services were impacted, rather than critical sites that service large swathes of a district or governorate.

INDIRECT PROTECTION IMPLICATION - households experiencing restricted access to:

Basic Services Infrastructure Basic Needs

23,102 1,024,469 19,620 Health, education, ﬁrst Transport, telecommunication, fuel, Water facilities, aid, food storage responders, worship governmental buildings

Number of Number of Number of Incidents Incidents Incidents 8 23 5 11 Overall data trends

1.5. Geographical spread of incidents

The reporting period saw 252 civilian impact incidents across the 5 target governorates, a 21% decrease from the December- January period. These shifts, though, were not consistent across the governorates as developments on the ground varied locally, with a slight increase in incidents in Al-Hudaydah and only a small drop in Sa’ada, while the three areas in the Sana’a hub all saw larger decreases.

Sa’ada again saw the most incidents, 141, more than twice as many as the next highest, Al-Hudaydah, where 65 incidents were recorded. This was the result of ongoing heavy airstrikes on the northern governorate as well as the outbreak of hostilities in the west, where ﬁghting and shelling erupted in mid-March.

In Al-Hudaydah, ﬁghting renewed in the south of the governorate in early-February; however, this was not the cause of the continued high level of civilian impact in Al-Hudaydah, which was largely caused by a surge in air raids in March.

The Sana’a hub saw a decrease across the three governorates. The largest drop was in the capital, where civilian impact incidents feel by 84% from 45 to 7 as there was no repeat of the ﬁerce street ﬁghting in early-December that caused a spike in incidents in Sana’a city.

The number of incidents also halved in Sana’a, falling from 36 to 18, partly a result of the calming of the situation in the capital, which in December had spread into surrounding districts as well as a fall in the number of airstrikes on the governorate.

Similarly, Marib saw a 34% drop from 32 to 21 as hostilities slowed and the well-established fronts in the west of the governorate remained largely static.

No of incidents SA'ADA 141

No of incidents MARIB 21 No of incidents No of incidents SANA'A 18 AL-HUDAYDAH 65

No of incidents CAPITAL 7

12 Overall data trends

The level of civilian impact incidents was slightly lower in February and March than in the previous reporting period, falling from an average of 36 incidents per week to 32 in the ﬁve target governorates. On a week-by-week basis the number of incidents was also more consistent, ranging from 25 to 44, compared to December-January, which varied between 15 and 56 incidents over the 8 weeks. Number of incidents per governorate per week

7 4 1 8 7 4 1 8 b 1 2 2 - 1 2 2 e b - - 1 - - - F e 5 2 h 8 5 2 - F 1 2 c h 1 2 1 - b b ar rc h h b 8 e e a c c e b F F M ar ar F e M F M M

Al-Hudaydah Sa'ada Sana'a Gov Capital Marib

February saw the fewest incidents recorded seen the project started (108), part of a downturn in January and February. March saw a 30% increase in civilian impact incidents compared to February, with more incidents recorded in all 3 of the hubs in March. The most marked rise was in Marib, where the number of incidents doubled from February to March (7 to 14), albeit from a low starting point, and Al-Hudaydah, where the number of incidents rose by 82%. A 17% increase was also seen in Sa’ada.

The most incidents were seen in the second week in March (44 incidents), where the highest weekly total for the reporting period was recorded in Sa’ada, Al-Hudaydah and Marib. This was the second largest weekly total after the first week in December, when incidents spiked as a result of the outbreak of street fighting in the capital. In mid-March, the increase was caused by the launch of ground attacks in western Sa’ada and a significant increase in airstrikes in Al-Hudaydah.

13 Overall data trends

1.6. Type of armed violence

Civilian impact incidents were caused by seven different types of armed violence: airstrikes, shelling, IEDs, small arms ﬁre (SAF), armed clashes, unexploded ordinance (UXO) and landmines.

As with the previous reporting period, the vast majority of incidents were the result of airstrikes, which caused 160 incidents (63% of the total), a slight decrease from the two-third of incidents caused by airstrikes last month.

This was followed by shelling, 71 incidents (28%); UXO, 8 incidents (3%); SAF, 7 incidents (3%); landmines, 3 incidents (1%), armed clashes, 2 incidents (1%), and IEDs, 1 incident (1%). The percentage of shelling incidents was more than double the previous period, largely due to an increase in Sa’ada. The numbers of the other types of armed violence were largely similar to the previous period.

In Sa’ada, there was a split between airstrikes (49%) and shelling (42%). This was the result of an uptick in shelling in the west of the governorate near the Saudi border from late-February as part of a cross-border military offensive. The governorate also saw 6 of the 8 UXO incidents. This was similar last month, when all 5 UXO incidents were recorded in Sa’ada. The other two incidents were in Al- Hudaydah.

All 3 landmine incidents and the 1 IED incident were reported in landmine 1.00% Al-Hudaydah, mainly in the south of the governorate, where UXO 3.00% SAF 3.00% ﬁghting has been ongoing and the warring sides have laid mines Armed clashes 1.00% and other explosives to slow the progress of their opponents. IED 1.00% Shelling 28.00% In the Sana’s hub, there was a decrease in shelling incidents, which accounted for 24% of the incidents in the governorate compared to 41% last month. Airstrikes caused all of the incidents in Sana’a governorate and the capital. In Sana’a city, this was a marked shift from the armed clashes and SAF seen during the street ﬁghting in

the capital in early-December. Airstrikes 63.00%

Type of armed violence per governorate

Sa'ada Capital Al-Hudaydah Marib Sana'a 141 7 65 21 18

Airstrikes Shelling IED SAF Armed Clashes Deployment UXO

14 Overall data trends

1.7. Type of civilian impact per governorate

Sa’ada saw the greatest civilian impact, more than twice as many incidents were recorded in the northern governorate than in the next highest, Al-Hudaydah. Of the types of civilian impact, the most common was on houses, of which there were 69 incidents affecting 265 households. However, houses were only the most commonly impacted structures in 3 of the 5 target governorates (Sa’ada, Sana’a and Marib).

In Al-Hudaydah, farms were the most common targets (27 incidents), and civilian infrastructure saw as many incidents as houses (8 each). Meanwhile, in the capital, civilian infrastructure was the most impacted category with 4 incidents, primarily the civilian airport in the north of the city, followed by local businesses (2), with only 1 house impacted by armed violence in the reporting period.

After houses and/or farms, the next most common type of incident was exposure to armed conﬂict (29 incidents, 12%), the majority of which occurred in western Sa’ada (23 of 29 incidents, 79%). The other reported incidents took place in southern Al-Hudaydah (5 incidents) and western Marib (2 incidents).

Civilian infrastructure was the next most common type of incident (23 incidents), representing 9% of the total incidents. Sa’ada, again saw the most of this type of civilian impact with 9 incidents, followed by Al-Hudaydah with 8 and the capital with 4. These were the same three governorates where civilian infrastructure was impacted by armed violence in the previous reporting period.

Type of civilian impact per governorate Total

Sa'ada Capital Al-Hudaydah Marib Sana'a 141 7 65 32 35

Houses Farms Houses and farms Vehicles Exposure armed conﬂict Food/Water

Exposure to UXO Education Market Local Business Health First responders

Civilian infrastructure 15 Overall data trends

1.8. Civilian casualties Total Civilian Impact incidents Of the 252 total incidents, the most common type was Aid 1 incidents impacting civilian houses. There were 69 First responders 2 incidents affecting houses, 27% of the overall total. This was a drop-off from the previous reporting period, when Protected sites 2

101 incidents impacted houses (31% of the total). Health 2

Education 2 The next highest type was farms, 42 incidents (17%), an increase from the 27 incidents last month (8%). It should Market 4 be noted that in addition to the 42 incidents listed as Food/Water 5 affecting just farms, there were also 42 incidents Local Business 6 assessed to be impacting houses and farms, instances Exposure to UXO 8 when both structures are co-located. As such, when combined, there were 84 incidents impacting farms (33% Vehicles 15 of the total incidents), which would make farms the most Civilian infrastructure 23 common category. Exposure armed 29

These categories were followed by exposure to armed Houses and farms 42 conﬂict (12%), civilian infrastructure (9%) and vehicles Farms 42

(6%). All the other incidents caused less than 5% of the Houses 69 total. This was a similar breakdown to the prior two months.

Total number of casualties per category

As the most common location for civilian impact Houses 139 incidents in the reporting period, houses were Civilian infrastructure 73 the site of the most civilian casualties, 139 casualties (67 fatalities and 72 injuries), which Vehicles 56 was 32% of the total. This was slightly higher Exposure armed conﬂict 53 than the previous reporting period, when houses as the highest number, accounted for 27% of the Farms 39 total. Market 20 However, the next highest location was civilian Destruction of aid 18 infrastructure, where 73 civilian casualties were Exposure UXO 14 reported (17%), despite there only being 29

Health 6 incidents at these sites. This was followed by vehicles, 56 casualties (12%) in 15 incidents, Houses & Farms 6 which was the second highest location for

Local Business 5 civilian casualties last month, accounting for 102 casualties. Food/Water 5

First responders 4 There were also several other sites of mass civilian casualty incidents, including one strike Protected sites 1 on an aid truck that killed 15 civilians and injured 3 more in the area, and four attacks that hit markets, causing 20 casualties. 16 Overall data trends

The chart below shows the number of incidents and casualties, both fatalities and injuries, by type of civilian impact incident. As noted above, the deadliness of the incident type was not necessarily directly related to the total number of incidents.

Overall, most civilian casualties during the two months occurred when civilians were hit by armed violence inside their homes, at civilian infrastructure sites, in their vehicles, or when exposed to armed conﬂict. Incidents at markets, civilian infrastructure sites, aid locations, and UXO incidents were especially deadly, causing a disproportionate number of casualties.

Number of incidents, fatalities and injured per category

Houses

Houses & Farms

Farms

Local Business

Vehicles

Education

Health

Protected sites

Civilian infrastructure

Food/Water

Exposure armed conﬂict

First responders

Exposure UXO

Destruction of aid

Market

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

No of incidents Total fatalities Total Injured 17 Overall data trends

1.9. Casualties per type of armed violence

As with the previous reporting period, airstrikes were the deadliest type of armed violence, accounting for 75% of the total civilian casualties in February and March. This, though, is a decrease from the previous period, when airstrikes caused 90% of the civilian casualties (755 in total).

Airstrikes caused 160 of the 202 civilian fatalities (80%), as well as 165 of the 237 civilian injuries (70%). The deadliness of airstrikes was largely in due to scale of damage done by airstrikes, compared to other types of armed violence, and the frequent targeting of sites with many civilians gathered, whether homes, vehicles or public places such as markets, restaurants and civilian infrastructure sites.

This was followed by shelling, which caused 17% of the casualties (74 casualties: 21 fatalities and 53 injuries); landmines, 4% (16 casualties: 12 fatalities and 4 injuries); UXO, 3% (14 casualties: 4 fatalities and 10 injuries); and SAF, 2% (10 casualties: 5 fatalities and 5 casualties).

This is a notable increase in the deadliness of shelling – shelling caused 32 civilian casualties in December and January (4% of the 2-month total) – more than doubling in this reporting period. Most of these were in Sa’ada, where there was increase in shelling incidents from late-February.

As seen last month, civilian casualties were reported in all of the 8 UXO incidents. This was also the case with landmines, with 16 civilian casualties in the 3 reported incidents, all of which were in Al-Hudaydah.

Airstrikes also caused the most child and female casualties: 67 child casualties (73%) and 53 female casualties (83%). This was similar to the ratio in the previous reporting period.

Total casualties per type of armed violence

Landmine 16 UXO 14 Deployment 0 SAF 10 IED 0 Armed clashes 0 Shelling 74

Airstrike 325

Airstrike Shelling IED Armed clashes SAF Deployment UXO

Landmine 18 Abs Zulaymah Al Yaman As Ku'aydinah Az Sawd Zuhrah Alluheyah Hajjah Thu Governorate: Al-Hudaydah Al Al Qanawis Khabt Al Al A Mahwait 2.1. Conflict developments February & March Munirah Milhan Hay As Ad Bani A Salif Dahi Sa'd Dakh After a lull in fighting in southern Al-Hudaydah in January, armed clashes resumed Bajil from 5 February, spreading from Al-Khawkhah into Hays. The renewed military Al Hajjaylah offensive swiftly pushed northwards through the centre of the district towards Al Al neighbouring Al-Garrahi in the first week of the month, but their progress has since Marawi'ah Hali stalled. Fighting has subsequently slowed, with sporadic flare-ups in central and Al A southern Hays, mainly in the form of stand-off artillery shelling. Ad Jabin Salafi Durayhimi Bayt Al As the frontlines moved gradually north, landmines were reported near frontlines as Al Jafariyah well as sabotaging of strategic transport links, including the Wadi Nakhlah Bridge in Faqiah Wus Hays. Al A Zabid Intermittent counter-attacks have also been conducted in southern and central Al- At Al Khawkhah, but these have failed to retake captured territory. This has seen several Jabal Tuhayat Garrahi reported maritime incursions along the western coastline, as well as ongoing attacks Ra's on the supply lines that run from Al-Mokha into Al-Hudaydah. Al Khawkhah The other hotspot for hostilities has been on the border between Al-Khawkhah and At

Tuhayat, through which the main coastal road runs. The route is viewed as a potential Maqbanah second front in the ﬁghting in the governorate, as the road leads towards Al- Hudaydah city and the critical port, but the clashes have yet to advance beyond the southern edges of At Tuhayat. Mawza Despite these outbursts of clashes on the ground, the primary form of armed violence Al in the governorate was again airstrikes. Bombing was reported on the governorate on Wazi'iyah a daily basis, primarily in southern and central districts. The intensity dipped in Dhubab February as the battle lines were being consolidated, but the tempo increased again in March, returning to the high levels seen in December.

In the south, the frontline areas in Hays and At Tuhayat were the most frequent Al targets in the ﬁrst half of February, but the focus for the air raids shifted north along Mualla the two main north-south roads over the next six weeks, with Al-Garrahi, Zabid and Bayt Al-Faqih seeing the heaviest bombing, which frequently struck sites in the vicinity of the roads, including civilian structures, such as farms and houses.

In the central districts, the situation on the ground was quiet, but airstrikes were a constant threat, hitting large structures such as warehouses and other storage facilities, local businesses and factories, farms and the non-operational Al-Hudaydah airport.

19 Al-Hudaydah

Civilian Impact Incidents, Casualties and Vulnerability

Civilian impact 65 Psychosocial trauma incidents incidents 55

Fatalities 76 Incidents with vulnerability: 47 Children / Women 19/17 Women & Children 38 Injured 65

Children / Women 8/5 Women/Children/IDPs 6/3/0

2.2. Civilian impact & protection implication

The level of civilian impact incidents in Al-Hudaydah remained at a similar level to the previous two months, with 65 incidents reported in February and March compared to the 64 in December and January, an average of 32 incidents per month.

Although the number of incidents remained steady, the number of civilian casualties in these incidents more than halved between the two reporting periods. In February-March, 141 casualties were reported in Al-Hudaydah, compared to 284 in the prior two months. This was mainly the result of a drop in the number of fatalities, which fell from 200 to 76, a 62% decrease. The number of injured civilians declined from 84 to 65 (-23%).

The fall in casualties can partly be attributed to there being fewer mass civilian casualty incidents in the past two months in comparison to the previous period. The level of hostilities also decreased from the intensive clashes that were seen in the south of the governorate in mid-January.

Of the civilian casualties, 49 were children and women (35%), more than double that in the previous period (14%). Of these, children and women made up 47% of the civilian fatalities and 20% of the injured civilians over the two months.

In total, 47 of the 65 incidents (72%) impacted vulnerable groups, either women and/or children. 85% of the incidents were also assessed to have had some sort of traumatic effect on the impacted civilian population.

First responders 1 Distribution of civilian impact incidents Health 1 Farms were overwhelmingly the most frequently impacted civilian Education 1 infrastructure in Al-Hudaydah, accounting for 42% of the total, almost Market 1 three times as many as the next highest. Houses and farms 1 Food/Water 2 Almost twice as many incidents impacted on farms in February and Exposure to UXO 2 March (27) compared to December and January (15). Local Business 2 Exposure armed conﬂict 5 The rest of the distribution of incidents was similar to the previous period, with houses (12%), civilian infrastructure (12%) and vehicles Vehicles 6 (9%) the next most frequently impacted. Civilian infrastructure 8

Houses 8 20 Farms 27 Al-Hudaydah

As the ﬁghting in the southern districts of Al-Hudaydah slowed since the push into Hays in early February, the direct protection implications also reduced compared to December and January period. This was particularly the case for displacement, which saw a reduction from 800 households reported displaced due to armed violence in the previous period, to only 17 reported in this period, as displacement was only reported as a result of armed violence directly hitting, and destroying, civilian houses. Loss of livelihood as a direct protection implication increased from 122 to 182, in large part due to the frequent impact recorded on farms in the governorate. Restricted freedom of movement was also a frequently recorded protection implication, as vehicles, including trucks and motorbikes, were impacted by armed violence.

The indirect protection implication also witnessed a decrease during February and March, in particular with fewer households experiencing restricted access to services, mainly the result of service structures impacted in this period being smaller and more local facilities, rather than structures serving the entire governorate. There was an increase in number of households experiencing restricted access to basic needs, the result of armed violence impacting on water facilities. Infrastructure continued to generate a high protection implication of the entire governorate experiencing some level of restricted access to infrastructure as key structures were impacted. DIRECT CIVILIAN IMPACT DIRECT PROTECTION IMPLICATION

17 households 17 houses 2 local businesses being displaced damaged impacted

182 households 53 farms 1 local market losing livelihood damaged impacted

6 vehicles 5 incidents of 23 households experiencing impacted exposure to armed conﬂict restricted freedom of movement and assembly

2 incidents of exposure to UXO

INDIRECT CIVILIAN IMPACT INDIRECT PROTECTION IMPLICATION

19,002 households experiencing restricted access to basic services 1 health facility (health, education and food/water facilities) damaged 8 infrastructure sites impacted 455,571 experiencing 1 educational facility restricted access to infrastructure damaged (transport, telecommunication, fuel, governmental 1 ﬁrst responders buildings) impacted 2 food/water facilities damaged 9,620 households experiencing restricted access to basic needs (water) 21 Al-Hudaydah

2.3. Geographical spread

Civilian impact incidents in Al-Hudadyah in February and March were concentrated in the south of the governorate similar to the last period. However, the focus shifted slightly from Al-Khawkhah as the main hotspot for ﬁghting to Hays (19 incidents), Al- Garrahi (12 incidents) and Al-Tuhayat (9 incidents), with Al-Durayhimi, Zabid and Bait Al-Faqih also witnessing weekly civilian impact incidents, meanwhile Al-Khawkhah only witnessed 2 incidents during the period.

As the frontline moved north, civilians on both sides were impacted by armed violence, with reports of landmines and shelling in the vicinity of the frontline, meanwhile almost daily airstrikes continued north of the frontline, including hitting vehicles moving on the main north-south road, as well as farms, houses and other civilian structures.

Southern districts (Hays, Zabid, Al-Tuhayat, Al-Khawkhah and Al-Garrahi) accounted for 75% of all civilian impact incidents and 87% of the civilian casualties during the period, with Hays alone accounting for 44% of all casualties in the governorate. The remaining casualties were reported in central districts. However, the percentage of incidents in the south fell from the last reporting period, indicating that civilian impact incidents more frequently took place away from the frontlines, impacting other districts, including Bara’a, Bajil, Bait Al-Faqih, Al-Marawi’ah, Al-Mansoriyah, Al-Luheyah and Al-Durayhimi.

Civilian impact per district

Zabid

Hays

Bara'a

Bajil

Bait Al-Faqih

Al-Tuhayat

Al-Marawi'ah

Al-Mansoriyah

Alluheyah

Al Khawkhah

Al Garrahi

Al-Durayhimi

s s s s s s s r t s t t e d a e s le n th e re e c r g p e O n ti re m s m m e ic io l it u t i e in m k X e i u u u ar ar n h t a s t a ﬂ d r a r U d al j a o F F si e a e c w n n e c a ci t In r H V c H d ru / o o th P M to n a T u u te t d c p a i F & b d c s o d s g ID re f s al E e ra o e re u o se c t f F m t n s o u o ro In r s ia o N o L P a ir il p H e F iv x r C E su o 22 p x E Alluheyah District Protection Implication per No of incidents: 2 Protection implication of District 2,237 households Al-Marawi'ah District experiencing restricted No of incidents: 1 access to basic services Protection implication of Bajil District (Education) 100 households losing No of incidents: 2 22,375 households livelihood Psychosocial trauma: 2 experiencing restricted (100% of all incidents) access to infrastructure Protection implication of (Government compound) 6 households losing livelihood Al-Mansoriyah District Bara'a District No of incidents: 1 Al- Hudaydah No of incidents: 1 Protection implication of No of fatalities: 1 9,460 households No of injured: 4 experiencing restricted Psychosocial trauma: 1 access to infrastructure (100% of all incidents) (Transport) Protection implication of 10 households losing livelihood

Al-Durayhimi District Bait Al-Faqih District No of incidents: 5 No of incidents: 4 No of fatalities: 4 No of fatalities: 5 No of injured: 2 No of injured: 2 Psychosocial trauma: 2 Psychosocial trauma: 4 (40% of all incidents) (100% of all incidents) Protection implication of Hays District Protection implication of 455,571 households No of incidents: 19 8 households losing experiencing restricted No of fatalities: 31 livelihood access to infrastructure No of injured: 31

(Transport) Psychosocial trauma: 17 Al Garrahi District 6 households experiencing (89% of all incidents) No of incidents: 12 restricted freedom of Protection implication of No of fatalities: 15 movement and assembly 9 households being displaced No of injured: 4 17 households losing Psychosocial trauma: 12 livelihood (100% of all incidents) Zabid District 9,620 households Al-Tuhayat District Protection implication of No of incidents: 7 experiencing restricted No of incidents: 9 Al Khawkhah District 2 households being No of fatalities: 7 access to basic services No of fatalities: 7 No of incidents: 2 displaced No of injured: 3 (Health) No of injured: 11 No of fatalities: 6 16 households losing Psychosocial trauma: 7 9,620 households Psychosocial trauma: 9 No of injured: 8 livelihood (100% of all incidents) experiencing restricted (100% of all incidents) Psychosocial trauma: 2 18,821 households Protection implication of access to needs (Water Protection implication of (100% of all incidents) experiencing restricted 10 households losing facilities) 1 household being displaced Protection implication of access to infrastructure livelihood 9,620 households 14 households losing 5 households being (Gas station) 5 households experiencing livelihood displaced experiencing restricted restricted freedom of 4 households experiencing 7,145 households access to infrastructure movement and assembly restricted freedom of experiencing restricted (Transport) movement and assembly access to basic services 8 households experiencing (First responders) restricted freedom of movement and assembly

23 Al-Hudaydah

2.4 Type of armed violence and casualties over time

The type of armed violence that impacted civilians in Al-Hudaydah was mainly airstrikes, causing 77% of incidents, though this was a reduction Type of Armed Violence from the last period where airstrikes caused 84% of incidents. Airstrikes

were also the only type of armed violence to occur consistently on a weekly Armed clash 3.08% basis throughout the period, and with a significant increase during the last Landmine 4.62% UXO 3.08% three weeks of March. IED 1.54% Shelling 10.77% The remaining incidents were caused by shelling (11%), IED (1%), UXO (3%), landmine (5%) and armed clashes (3%), and most of these incidents occurred near the active frontlines in the conflict. It is the first time that landmines have resulted in civilian impact incidents in Al-Hudaydah since the outbreak of clashes in December, and a total of 3 incidents were reported during the period, 2 near the frontline in Hays and 1 further north Airstrikes 76.92% in Al-Durayhimi.

The number of civilian impact incidents was high in early February as the military operations advanced into Hays district, but then reduced from mid-February to early March, after which airstrikes signiﬁcantly increased, generating renewed high levels of civilian impact incidents. The casualty numbers where not necessarily corresponding with the number of incidents, e.g. with the last week of February seeing only 3 civilian impact incidents, meanwhile these generated 22 civilian casualties – the highest number of casualties reported within one week during the period. The number of civilian casualties were on a consistently high level ranging from 16 to 22 casualties per week throughout the period, apart from the third week of February which saw a drop in civilian casualties.

Number of incidents, type of violence and casualties per week

12 20

10 17

8 14

6 10

4 7

2 3

0 0

7 4 1 8 7 4 1 8 b 1 2 2 - 1 2 2 e b - - 1 - - - F e 5 2 h 8 5 2 - F 1 2 c h 1 2 1 - b b ar rc h h b 8 e e a c c e b F F M ar ar F e M F M M

Airstrikes Shelling IED UXO Number of Casualties Armed Clashes 24 Governorate: Sa'ada

3.1. Conﬂict developments February & March

Sa’ada remained the most heavily bombed governorate in the country, seeing more than twice as many air raids over the two-month reporting period as the next highest governorate, Hajja. There were more than 100 air raids on the northern governorate in both February and March, despite Sa’ada not being an active frontline in the conﬂict.

The airstrikes hit sites across the governorate, with a particular emphasis on districts along the Yemen-Saudi border, including Kitaf, Baqim and Razih. Civilian casualties were reported in almost-weekly civilian casualty incidents. These included several reported mass civilian casualty incidents in double-tap strikes on vehicles and ﬁrst responders, houses, farms, hospitals and markets.

The bombardment was especially heavy in late-February/early-March, preceding the launch of a military operation across the Yemen-Saudi border into the west of Razih, in which several sites near the border were reportedly captured. These gains were temporarily reversed before being retaken as armed clashes continued through the ﬁrst half of March, before slowing again in the second half of the month as after the initial success the offensive failed to make further progress.

Incursions across the porous border have happened in both directions throughout the conflict, but neither side has yet to move beyond the edges of the border districts. In Sa’ada, this had previously been concentrated mainly in Kitaf Al-Boqe’e, before the March offensive in Baqim. These localised armed clashes have typically been accompanied by airstrikes, as well cross-border artillery fire, often on civilian houses and farms near the border, in particular on the western side of the governorate, specifically Razih and Baqim.

Baqim Qatabir

Kitaf

Monabbih wa Al Boqe'e Majz

As Ghamr Safra

Razih Al Bart Sa'adah Al Saqayn Hashwah Anan

Haydan Al Dhaher Kharab Rajuzah Al Bakil Marashi 25 Al Sa'ada

Civilian Impact Incidents, Casualties and Vulnerability

Civilian impact 141 Psychosocial trauma incidents incidents 132

Fatalities 93 Incidents with vulnerability: 109 Children / Women 21/18 Women/Children 84 Injured 110

Children / Women 33/15 Women/Children/IDPs 9/15/1

3.2. Civilian impact & protection implication

Compared to the previous two months, the level of incidents in Sa’ada was consistent, seeing only a very slight drop from 144 to 141. Again the most civilian impact incidents were recorded in Sa’ada, more than twice as many as the next highest governorate, Al-Hudaydah. As a result, the most civilian casualties were also recorded in Sa’ada (203), but this was a 23% decrease from the December-January total (263). As with the previous period, a high percentage of the casualties were children and women (43%).

More than two-thirds (77%) of the incidents impacted vulnerable groups, 109 of which affected women and/or children. Moreover, 93% of the civilian impact incidents were also assessed to have some form of traumatic effect on the civilian population.

As with the previous reporting period, Sa’ada saw the widest distribution of type of civilian impact, with incidents recorded in 15 different categories. Houses were again the most frequent, accounting for a third of the total incidents, which rises to 53% of the incidents when combined with locations where houses and farms are co-located.

February and March also saw a notable increase in exposure to armed conﬂict, which almost trebled from 10 to 27 incidents, largely as a result of the outbreak of hostilities in the west of the Sa’ada.

Distribution of civilian First responders 1 impact incidents Protected sites 1

Health 1

Education 1

Aid 1

Local Business 1

Food/Water 3

Market 3

Exposure to UXO 6

Vehicles 7

Civilian infrastructure 9

Farms 9

Exposure armed conﬂict 23

Houses and farms 28 Houses 47 26 Sa'ada There was an increase in the direct civilian impact in February and March in Sa’ada compared to the previous reporting period, largely as a result of an increase in the number of incidents impacting houses and farms. The number of houses damaged increased by 48% (from 218 to 323) and the number of farms damaged increased by 64%. As with the previous two months, the majority of these were in the west of the governorate, near the border with Saudi Arabia, where armed clashes, artillery shelling and airstrikes were reported throughout February and March.

The other category with a significant increase was incidents of exposure to armed conflict, which more than doubled between the two reporting periods, rising by 130% from 10 incidents to 23. This was also primarily in the western districts, where the civilian population was affected by fighting, as well as a result of shooting incidents with soldiers along the Saudi border.

These incidents resulted in 323 households being displaced, a 48% increase from the previous two months. 174 households were also assessed to have experienced a loss of livelihood over this period, which was only a 13% increase; a smaller rise than the number of farms damaged due to the drop in incidents affecting small businesses (which fell 50%). The number of households experiencing restricted freedom of movement and assembly decreased by 13%, largely due to a fall in the number of incidents impacting vehicles (from 14 to 12) and civilian gatherings (from 1 to 0).

DIRECT CIVILIAN IMPACT DIRECT PROTECTION IMPLICATION

323 houses 323 households damaged 1 local business being displaced impacted

169 farms 174 households damaged 3 local markets losing livelihood impacted 12 vehicles impacted 41 households experiencing 23 incidents of exposure to armed conﬂict restricted freedom of movement and assembly 6 incidents of exposure to UXO

INDIRECT CIVILIAN IMPACT INDIRECT PROTECTION IMPLICATION

3,100 households experiencing 1 health facility restricted access to basic services damaged (health, education and mosques) 9 infrastructure sites impacted 1 educational facility 83,164 experiencing damaged restricted access to infrastructure 1 aid facility (transport, telecommunication, fuel, and government buildings) 1 ﬁrst responders impacted impacted

1 protected site 8,000 households experiencing damaged 3 food/water facilities restricted access to basic needs damaged (water facilities and aid) 27 Sa'ada

In terms of indirect civilian impact, there was a decrease in the reporting period. The number of health facilities damaged dropped by 50%, educational facilities by 75%, food and water facilities by 50%, protected sites by 80% and infrastructure sites by 40%. As a result, the indirect protection implication of these incidents also decreased: households experiencing restricted access to basic services fell from 20,602 to 3,100 (85%); restricted access to infrastructure fell from 105,563 to 83,164 (21%); and restricted access to basic needs from 17,361 to 8,000 (54%).

3.3. Geographical spread As with the previous reporting period, Sa’ada saw the most widespread civilian impact among the ﬁve target governorates. Incidents were recorded in 13 of the governorate’s 15 districts (Al-Haswah in the south-east and Qatabir in the north-west were the only exceptions).

The majority of incidents were recorded in areas along the western border with Saudi Arabia. Razih again saw the most incidents (45), more than twice as many as the next highest, Monnabih (22). These were followed by Sahar (14) and Baqim (13). The other hotspots were Sahar, where airstrikes and UXO incidents were reported, and Kitaf, as a result of airstrikes and armed clashes.

Although Razih saw the most incidents, more civilian casualties were recorded in Sa’ada (31) and Sahar (30), largely due to mass civilian casualty airstrikes in both districts.

Civilian impact per district

Shada'a

Saqayn

Sahar

Sa'adah

Razih

Monabbih

Majz

Kitaf wa Al Boqe'e

Haydan

Ghamr

Baqim

As Safra

Al Dhaher

s s d a s s s s e n h s e r t s g p t d s t e e e s l o lt e r te ic r n e O i e n ti r m s rm rm e ic ti a it u a ﬂ e ri m rk X A n e li ju u u a a in h a e s ct n d e a a U i id a n ra o F F s e c d u /w o n h c o m c t I T H f u V u H e r d c o t P M t d n a f o & b d t st o sp a D e n i F o s l E c a o d e g I r a f o e a te r F e r u l o o N s c o f m t an s e o N u o r In r s li o r N o L P a ir i p su H e F iv x o r C E p su x o E p x 28 E Protection Monabbih District Implication per No of incidents: 22 Sahar District 4,000 households experiencing No of fatalities: 4 No of incidents: 14 restricted access to basic needs District 1/2 No of injured: 6 No of fatalities: 8 (Food and water facilities) Psychosocial trauma: 22 No of injured: 22 29,601 households experiencing (100% of all incidents) Psychosocial trauma: 11 restricted access to infrastructure Protection implication of (79% of all incidents) (Transport) 56 households being displaced Protection implication of 9 households experiencing Ghamr District 36 households losing livelihood 22 households being restricted freedom of movement No of incidents: 8 10 households experiencing restricted displaced and assembly No of fatalities: 12 freedom of movement and assembly 30 households losing No of injured: 9 livelihood Psychosocial trauma: 8 (100% of all incidents) Protection implication of 21 households being displaced 20 households losing livelihood 1 household experiencing restricted freedom of movement and assembly 4,379 households experiencing restricted access to Sa'ada 1/2 infrastructure (Transport) Kitaf wa Al Boqe'e District No of incidents: 7 No of fatalities: 22 No of injured: 2 Psychosocial trauma: 6 (86% of all incidents) Protection implication of 16 households being displaced 6 households experiencing restricted freedom of movement and assembly

Razih District No of incidents: 45

No of fatalities: 8 Saqayn District Al Dhaher District No of injured: 21 No of incidents: 4 No of incidents: 4 Psychosocial trauma: 45 No of fatalities: 0 No of fatalities: 4 (100% of all incidents) No of injured: 1 No of injured: 3 Protection implication of Psychosocial trauma: 1 Psychosocial trauma: 4 129 households being displaced (25% of all incidents) (100% of all incidents) 58 households losing livelihood Protection implication of Protection implication of 3,100 households experiencing 11,679 households experiencing 11 households being restricted access to basic services restricted access to infrastructure displaced (Health, Education, Worship) (Transport and 10 households losing 13,976 households experiencing telecommunication) livelihood restricted access to infrastructure 3 households experiencing (Transport) restricted freedom of 13 households experiencing movement and assembly restricted freedom of movement and assembly

29 Protection Implication per District 2/2 Sa'adah District No of incidents: 5 Majz District No of fatalities: 11 No of incidents: 1 No of injured: 20 No of fatalities: 1 Psychosocial trauma: 5 No of injured: 3 Baqim District (100% of all incidents) Psychosocial trauma: 1 No of incidents: 13 Protection implication of (100% of all incidents) No of fatalities: 6 7 households being displaced Protection implication of No of injured: 11 12,718 households 1 household being displaced Psychosocial trauma: 13 experiencing restricted access

(100% of all incidents) to infrastructure (Transport) Protection implication of 2 households experiencing 37 households being displaced restricted freedom of 32 households losing movement and assembly livelihood 6 households experiencing restricted freedom of Sa'ada 2/2 movement and assembly

Haydan District No of incidents: 6 No of fatalities: 0 As Safra District No of injured: 4 No of incidents: 3 Psychosocial trauma: 5 Shada'a District No of fatalities: 15 (83% of all incidents) No of incidents: 9 No of injured: 3 Protection implication of No of fatalities: 2 Psychosocial trauma: 2 5 households being displaced No of injured: 5 (67% of all incidents) 10 households losing livelihood Psychosocial trauma: 9 Protection implication of 2,000 households experiencing (100% of all incidents) 5 households losing livelihood restricted access to basic needs Protection implication of 2,000 households experiencing (Water facilities) 20 households being displaced restricted access to basic needs (Aid) 4 households experiencing 15 households losing livelihood 11,261 households experiencing restricted freedom of movement 7 households experiencing restricted access to infrastructure and assembly restricted freedom of movement (Transport) and assembly

30 Sa'ada

3.4. Type of armed violence and casualties over time Although airstrikes were the primary cause of civilian impact incidents – accounting for 49% of the total incidents – this was a signiﬁcant drop- Type of Armed Violence off from the 75% of incidents that airstrikes caused in the previous two-

month period. Shelling incidents increased, more than doubling from SAF 4.96% 20% of the total incidents to 42%, mainly in the west of the UXO 4.26% governorate, where a military offensive renewed in early-March.

UXO and small arms ﬁre also accounted for a greater percentage of

incidents than the previous period. SAF more than doubled from 2% to Airstrikes 48.94% 5%. All of the SAF incidents (7) recorded in February and March were in Sa’ada, and resulted in 10 civilian casualties, primarily in shooting Shelling 41.84% incidents by guards at the Yemen-Saudi border. The UXO incidents increased from 3% to 4%; with casualties reported in each UXO incident.

As shown in the chart below, civilian impact incidents caused by airstrikes and shelling were recorded on a weekly basis in Sa’ada. SAF incidents, though, largely only occurred in March, following the resumption of hostilities in the west of the governorate. Prior to the restart of this offensive there was a spike in airstrikes and shelling on western districts in late-February in an attempt to clear areas along the border ahead of the military push.

There was a large variation in number of casualties from week to week, ranging from 1 casualty recorded in the second week of February, to 44 casualties recorded in the following week. This variation was in large due to mass casualty events, which occurred sporadically. Number of incidents, type of violence and casualties per week

12 42

10 35

8 28

6 21

4 14

2 7

0 0

7 4 1 8 7 4 1 8 b 1 2 2 - 1 2 2 e b - - 1 - - - F e 5 2 h 8 5 2 - F 1 2 c h 1 2 1 - b b ar rc h h b 8 e e a c c e b F F M ar ar F e M F M M

Airstrikes Shelling SAF UXO Number of Casualties 31 Matammah Kushar Bani Al Suraim Al Habur Maslub Al Al Aslem Al Dhi Ghayl Aﬂah Zulaymah Khalq Hazm Abs Jamimah Khamir Bin Al As Sana'a hub Yaman Al Sudah

Maghrabah Majzar As Kharif Ku'aydinah Sawd Raghwan Az Mabyan Nihm Zuhrah Arhab Amran Bani Ash Medghal Qa'is Maswar Thula Shaghadirah Bani Al Al Al At Hamdan Qanawis Khabt Harith Tawilah Sirwah Marib Al Bidbadah Hufash Attyal City Mahwait Al Al Az Milhan Haymah Wahdah aydiyah Khwlan Ad Bani Ad Bani Sanhan Sa'd Dahi Dakhiliyah Matar Jihanah Al Jubah Bani Bilad Jabal Bajil Al Al Dhabyan Al Ar Murad Haymah Husn Hajjaylah Rus Al Rahabah Harib Al Bura Bilad Kharijiyah Dawran l Marawi'ah At Al Aness li Ta'am Hada Jahran Al Al Al As Abdiyah Mansuriyah Jabin Wald Mahliyah Ad Salaﬁyah Al Dhamar Al Rabi' D ra himi Manar N Governorate: Capital, Sana'a & Marib 4.1. Conﬂict developments February & March

In Sana'a governorate ﬁghting continued in Nihm throughout the two-month reporting period to varying degrees of intensity as the warring sides launched attacks and counters over strategic hilltops. As a result, the reporting period was marked by some dynamism to the frontlines in the contested district. Control of sites went back-and-forth between the sides in February and March as Nihm saw movement at the local level, but overall the situation remained largely unchanged. In the wider governorate, the only armed violence in Sana’a was caused by airstrikes, a steady stream of which hit sites in several districts, including Arhab, Sanhan and Al-Haymah Al- Kharijiyah. These included reported strikes on civilian sites, but overall the level of hostilities in the governorate was low.

This was also the case in the capital. Sana’a city has largely been quiet since the street ﬁghting in early December. Over the past two months, the primary armed violence in the city was airstrikes, but even these were at a low level, roughly an average of one air raid per week. However, due to the densely populated nature of the city and the location of military targets within residential areas, airstrikes continues to pose a high risk to the civilian population of the city.

The frontlines were also unchanged in Marib, where fighting remained concentrated in the western district of Sirwah. For the most part, the armed clashes were in the form of stand-off artillery fire along the well-established frontlines among the mountainous terrain in the north and west of Sirwah. There were also further reports of missile launches at military sites in and around Marib city, none of which reportedly hit their intended targets, though such launches have the potential to cause significant civilian casualties should they strike the provincial capital.

32 Sana'a hub

Civilian Impact Incidents, Casualties and Vulnerability

Civilian impact 46 Psychosocial trauma incidents incidents 40

Fatalities 33 Incidents with vulnerability: 37 Children / Women 10/5 Women/Children 33 Injured 62

Children / Women 1/4 Women/Children/IDPs 1/3/0

4.2. Civilian impact & protection implication

Civilian impact incidents in the Sana’a hub reduced by 60% during the reporting period, compared to December-January. This was in large due to the cessation of street ﬁghting in the capital, which in December generated a high number of civilian impact incidents in both the capital and the wider Sana’a governorate. Moreover, civilian impact was more concentrated, primarily being recorded in three districts in the hub: Bani Harith in the capital, Nihm in Sana'a governorate and Sirwah in Marib.

As a result of the reduction in civilian impact, the number of casualties also fell from 270 to 95, a reduction of around two thirds (65%). This was largely the result of a reduction in airstrikes, which decreased by almost 50% in the hub, compared to the December-January peak. In the capital alone, casualties reduced from 165 recorded in December-January to 60 casualties recorded in February-March.

Of the 95 casualties reported, 20 were women and children. Furthermore, 40 of the 46 incidents recorded (87%) generated psychosocial trauma for the civilians impacted. Of those, 33 incidents (83%) impacted children.

Distribution of civilian Protected site 1 impact incidents Exposure armed conﬂict 1 The majority of civilian impact incidents impacted on Vehicles 2 houses, farms or houses and farms that are co-located (72%). This was primarily in Sana'a governorate and Local Business 3 Marib.

Civilian infrastructure 6 The other category that was frequently impacted was Farms 6 civilian infrastructure, followed by local businesses, vehicles, exposure to armed conﬂict and impact on Houses and farms 13 protected sites. Houses 14

33 Sana'a hub

Destruction of houses and farms accounted for the highest civilian impact during the period, making up 33 incidents of the total 46 recorded in the hub (72%). Together with destruction of local businesses, this generated a direct protection implication of 123 households being displaced and 112 households losing livelihood, which marked a decrease of 66% compared to the December- January period.

Targeting of vehicles and exposure to armed conﬂict generated a direct protection implication of restricted freedom of movement for an estimated 4 households, a drop from 41 (-90%) households during the previous reporting period.

The repeated air raids on Sana’a International Airport generated a restricted access to infrastructure, tentatively affecting an estimated number of 485,284 households, the entire population of the governorate. The capital also witnessed airstrikes on governmental compounds, which generated further restricted access to infrastructure. Finally, damage to a mosque generated restricted access to services (worship) for an estimated 1.000 households.

DIRECT CIVILIAN IMPACT DIRECT PROTECTION IMPLICATION

123 houses 123 households damaged being displaced 7 local businesses impacted 87 farms 112 households damaged losing livelihood 1 incident of exposure to armed conﬂict 4 households experiencing restricted freedom of 3 vehicles movement and assembly impacted

INDIRECT CIVILIAN IMPACT INDIRECT PROTECTION IMPLICATION

6 infrastructure sites 1,000 households experiencing impacted restricted access to basic services (Worship)

1 protected site 485,284 households experiencing damaged restricted access to infrastructure (Government compound, airport, telecommunication and media)

34 Sana'a hub

4.3.1. Geographical spread Capital

In the capital, only 1 out of the city’s 10 districts witnessed civilian impact incidents during February-March. Bani Al-Harith bore the impact of all the recorded airstrikes that impacted civilian structures in the capital. In contrast, the previous reporting period saw 6 of the 10 districts impacted by airstrikes and the clashes that took place in early December.

There was a total of 7 recorded incidents in the capital during the reporting period, causing 60 casualties (10 fatalities and 50 injuries). Most of the casualties were caused by an airstrike that hit the Criminal Investigations Directorate building and the surrounding area in Bani Al-Harith, also generating damage to houses and local businesses. Another incident later in the period impacted on a local business (car workshop) in the same street.

The remaining 3 incidents all impacted on Sana’a International Airport, also located in Bani Al-Harith district in the north of the capital, and generated a total of 3 fatalities, all employees at the airport.

Civilian impact per district

Bani Al Harith

s s s s s s s r t s t s t e d a e s le n th e re e c r g p e O n id n ti re m s m m e ic io l it u t i e in m k X o A e i u u u ar ar n h t a s t a ﬂ d r a r U s d al j a o F F si e a e c w n n e c a ri ci t In r H V c H d ru / o o th P M to P n a T u u te t d c p a i F & b d c s o d s g ID re f s al E e ra o e re u o se c t f F m t n s o u o ro In r s ia o N o L P a ir il p H o F iv x t C E re su o p x E 35 Protection Implication per District

Capital - Districts

Bani Al Harith District No of incidents: 7 No of fatalities: 10 No of injured: 50 Psychosocial trauma: 5 (71% of all incidents) Protection implication of 5 households being displaced 15 households losing livelihood 421,210 households experiencing restricted access to infrastructure (Government compound and airport)

36 Sana'a hub 4.3.2 Geographical spread Sana'a

Nihm continued to be an active frontline in the conflict, which was reflected in the district witnessing the highest number of recorded civilian impact incidents in Sana’a governorate. 10 incidents (60%) were recorded in Nihm, 2 in Bani Matar (11%), 2 in Hamdan (11%), 1 in Bilad Ar Rus (6%) and 1 in Al-Hayma Al-Dakhiliya (6%). The last two districts were recorded for the first time since the start of the civilian impact monitoring project. At the same time neither Sanhan, Bani Hushaysh or Arhab witnessed any incidents during February-March, in contrast to the previous reporting period where the three districts witnessed 11 incidents.

With the highest number of incidents, Nihm also saw the highest number of casualties, with 14 casualties reported. Hamdan saw a comparable casualty count, with 11 casualties, although seeing only 2 civilian impact incidents. The majority of houses and farms damaged were also in Nihm as well as vehicles impacted, meanwhile the other districts saw a lower proportion of houses and farm, though a broader distribution of other types of incidents, including infrastructure, exposure to armed conﬂict and local business.

The impact on women and children was relatively high compared to the other governorates in the Sana’a hub, with 14 out of 20 women and child casualties being recorded in Sana’a governorate.

Civilian impact per district

Nihm

Manakhah

Hamdan

Bilad Al-Rus

Bani Matar

Al-Haymah Al-Dakhiliyah

s s s s r s s e a s n e e r p O e ti m m e io it t e m X n i u ar n t s a d a U i al a F si a w n c m t Tr u c d / o P to d a f u te d p n F o b d c o s ID re a o l E e o re u l N ca t F s e o ro st o r L P ir p su F x o E p x E

37 Protection Implication per District Nihm District Hamdan District No of incidents: 10 No of incidents: 2 No of fatalities: 8 No of fatalities: 7 No of injured: 6 No of injured: 4 Psychosocial trauma: 10 Psychosocial trauma: 2 (100% of all incidents) (100% of all incidents) Protection implication of Protection implication of 36 households being displaced 5 households being displaced 25 households losing livelihood 3 households experiencing restricted freedom of movement and assembly

Al-Haymah Al-Dakhiliyah District No of incidents: 1 Psychosocial trauma: 1 (100% of all incidents) Protection implication of 5 households being displaced Sana'a - Districts

Bilad Ar Rus District Manakhah District Bani Matar District No of incidents: 1 No of incidents: 2 No of incidents: 2 Protection implication of: Psychosocial trauma: 1 No of fatalities: 1 10 households losing (50% of all incidents) No of injured: 1 livelihood Protection implication of Psychosocial trauma: 1 5 households being displaced (50% of all incidents) 14,074 households Protection implication of experiencing restricted access 50,000 households experiencing to infrastructure restricted access to infrastructure (Telecommunication) (media) 1 household experiencing restricted freedom of movement and assembly 38 Sana'a hub

4.3.3 Geographical spread Marib

In Marib governorate, civilian impact occurred in Sirwah district, which witnessed all of the recorded incidents during the reporting period. In contrast, the previous reporting period saw both Sirwah and Harib Al-Qaramish impacted. As an active frontline for the past 3 years, armed conﬂict in Sirwah is largely removed from populated areas and has seen a lull in armed confrontation during the reporting period, limiting the level of civilian impact.

Sirwah witnessed 21 incidents during the period, generating 8 casualties, 50% of which were women or children. Marib was the only one of the three governorates to witness other types of armed violence than airstrikes, with 5 out of the 21 incidents being caused by shelling. However, airstrikes accounted for all the casualties, meanwhile shelling primarily caused damage to houses and farms.

Sirwah also saw the vast majority of impact on houses and farms of the three governorates, with 66 houses and 62 farms impacted, representing 60% of the total impact on houses and farms in the Sana’a hub.

Civilian impact per district

Sirwah

r . t ts s d a s s s ss le n th s re e .. rs g p e O s id n ie re m se m m e c io l te u t f e in m k X n A e it u u u r r n i t a i t a n d r a r U so d l j a o a a i h a e s c w o n e c a i i ta n r F F s e c H d u / c o h o r c a I T H u V u e tr d d p t P M t P in F & b d t s o e s a ID e f s l E ec a o e g r o e a t fr F rm r n su s c o n a t a o o u Lo r I rs li p N o P to i vi x H F i E re C su o p x E 39 Protection Implication per District

Marib - Districts

Sirwah District No of incidents: 21 No of fatalities: 7 No of injured: 1 Psychosocial Trauma: 20 (95% of all incidents) Protection implication of 66 households being displaced 62 households losing livelihood 1,000 households experiencing restricted access to basic services (Worship)

40 Sana'a hub 4.4. Type of armed violence

Overall airstrikes accounted for 90% meanwhile shelling, the only other type Type of Armed Violence of armed violence recorded in the hub, accounted for 10% of incidents. However, all the shelling incidents took place in Marib, meanwhile Sana’a governorate and the capital only saw airstrikes during the reporting period. Shelling 9.80% This was a signiﬁcant shift from the previous period, where the capital witnessed a broad range of types of armed violence due to the December street ﬁghting.

The number of incidents was fairly consistent ranging from 4 to 7 on a weekly basis, meanwhile the number of casualties on most weeks ranged between 4 to 6, but with two fluctuations; the first week of February which saw 57 casualties in a single incident in the capital, and the first week of March which saw 13 casualties, meanwhile the last week of March was the only week recorded without casualties. Airstrikes 90.20%

All casualties in the hub were caused by airstrikes, with the only othe type of armed violence, shelling, not resultng in any casualties.

Number of incidents, type of violence and casualties per week

7 60

6 51

5 43

4 34

3 26

2 17

1 9

0 0

7 4 1 8 7 4 1 8 b 1 2 2 - 1 2 2 e b - - 1 - - - F e 5 2 h 8 5 2 - F 1 2 c h 1 2 1 - b b ar rc h h b 8 e e a c c e b F F M ar ar F e M F M M

Airstrikes Shelling SAF UXO Number of Casualties 41