Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC) has issued a sweeping and urgent condemnation of widespread violations committed by forces affiliated with the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in Yemen’s Hadramaut Governorate,

warning that the attacks amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity under international law. The organization called on Yemeni authorities, the United Nations, and the International Criminal Court (ICC) to intervene immediately to halt what it described as a systematic campaign of violence, racial discrimination, and institutional pillage against civilians.

In a comprehensive statement released this week, WJWC urged the Presidential Leadership Council, judicial authorities, and security institutions to take “immediate and concrete measures” to prevent further violations, protect civilians, support victims, and guarantee the safe return of forcibly displaced families. The organization stressed that the situation in Hadramaut has reached a critical point, with patterns of abuse that represent not only breaches of international humanitarian law but clear evidence of a coordinated assault on civilian life, identity, and dignity.

Identity-Based Persecution Deemed a Crime Against Humanity

WJWC reported that STC-affiliated forces have engaged in systematic targeting of civilians based on their geographic origin, particularly individuals from northern Yemeni governorates. This discriminatory practice, the organization noted, constitutes racial discrimination as prohibited by international human rights law, including Articles 2 and 26 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

According to the organization, the identity-based persecution documented in Hadramaut “amounts to a distinct crime within the broader category of crimes against humanity.” Civilians from the north—among them laborers, students, street vendors, and civil servants—were allegedly subjected to arbitrary arrest, humiliation, and forced transfer to undisclosed locations solely on the basis of their region of origin.

Grave Violations of the Geneva Conventions

Women Journalists Without Chains affirmed that the STC’s conduct in Hadramaut constitutes a “flagrant breach” of multiple provisions of the 1949 Geneva Conventions, which govern the treatment of civilians and combatants during conflict. WJWC highlighted violations of:

·       The Third Geneva Convention, concerning the treatment of prisoners of war

·       Common Article 3, which prohibits murder, torture, cruel treatment, and degrading acts

·       The Fourth Geneva Convention, which protects civilians in times of war

WJWC cited verified reports of extrajudicial executions of captured soldiers, widespread looting of civilian property, forced eviction of families, and arbitrary detention of civilians—each representing core violations of international humanitarian law. These actions, the organization warned, are not random abuses but part of a “systematic attack against the civilian population,” thereby meeting the legal threshold for crimes against humanity under Articles 7 and 8 of the Rome Statute of the ICC.

A Campaign of Raids, Looting, and Enforced Disappearances

In its detailed briefing, WJWC documented a large-scale campaign of home raids across Seiyun and its surrounding districts. Armed STC-affiliated forces reportedly stormed dozens of homes, forcibly removing families into the streets and confiscating personal belongings. Shops, civilian government buildings, private vehicles, and even military installations were also looted during the operations.

Investigators reviewed multiple videos showing distressing scenes: in one, a family is violently expelled from their home as the cries of children echo in the background; in another, looters ransack homes and political buildings in broad daylight. WJWC said these videos, along with eyewitness testimonies, form part of a growing archive of evidence.

The organization also reported numerous cases of enforced disappearance. Civilians detained at checkpoints or during raids were transferred to unknown locations, their families left without information about their fate. This practice, WJWC emphasized, violates both Yemeni law and international legal prohibitions on arbitrary arrest and disappearance.

Executions of Captured Soldiers Spark National Shock

One of the most disturbing incidents documented by WJWC occurred on December 4, 2025. According to confirmed information, STC-loyalist forces seized the headquarters of the First Military Region without clashes, arrested four officers and soldiers, and transferred them to a detention facility at Seiyun Airport. The detainees—Colonel Fathi al-Dhabawi, Assistant Sadiq al-Bashari, Assistant Muhammad Qutaiber, and Assistant Rajih al-Sharafi—were subsequently executed. Their bodies were later transported to Seiyun General Hospital.

WJWC said the fate of dozens of other captured officers and soldiers remains unknown and may indicate additional cases of extrajudicial killing or enforced disappearance. Such acts, the organization stressed, are clear violations of the Third Geneva Convention and constitute war crimes.

The organization also shed light on violations concerning the treatment of the wounded. Video evidence shows injured individuals pleading for medical assistance while being denied aid by STC-affiliated fighters. Other footage shows detainees being treated in degrading, humiliating, and unlawful ways.

WJWC warned that withholding medical care from the wounded violates the fundamental rules of war and further strengthens the case for international prosecution of those responsible.

Official Acknowledgment Raises Pressure for Accountability

In a development that WJWC described as significant, the head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council publicly acknowledged that state authorities have begun documenting the human rights violations that occurred recently in Hadramaut. The organization interpreted this as an official recognition of the scale and seriousness of the abuses.

“Such acknowledgment,” WJWC stated, “must be followed by immediate, transparent, and independent investigative measures to ensure justice and prevent further deterioration.” The group said it will closely monitor whether authorities take meaningful steps toward accountability.

A Warning of Deepening Chaos and Widespread Displacement

WJWC cautioned that the ongoing violations, if left unaddressed, will trigger deeper instability, accelerate mass displacement, and expose civilians—including women and children—to escalating risks. The organization warned that the unchecked abuses threaten to turn Hadramaut into a lawless zone, undermining prospects for peace and eroding social stability across the region.

“These practices,” the group said, “pose a direct threat to the lives and fundamental rights of civilians and risk entrenching a cycle of violence that could last for years.”

Urgent Calls for National and International Action

In its appeal, WJWC called upon Yemeni authorities to:

·       Halt all violations immediately

·       Ensure the protection of civilians

·       Facilitate the safe return of displaced families

·       Open independent and transparent investigations

·       Prosecute perpetrators under international legal standards

But the organization’s strongest message was directed to the international community. It urged:

·       The United Nations Security Council

·       Relevant UN human rights mechanisms

·       The International Criminal Court

·       International humanitarian organizations

to take “swift and decisive action.”

WJWC called for international pressure on the STC to stop all violations, the establishment of an international investigative mechanism, and—if necessary—the referral of the situation in Hadramaut to the ICC.

“Any failure to act,” the organization warned, “will perpetuate impunity, deepen civilian suffering, and embolden armed groups to commit further abuses.”