Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported on Monday that Saudi border guards had killed hundreds of Ethiopian migrants, including women and children, who have tried to enter the country along the country’s rugged border with Yemen.
The rights organisation claimed in a 73-page report that Saudi guards fired at some refugees from close range while using explosive devices to murder others. It included the testimony of four friends or family members of migrants, as well as 38 Ethiopians who attempted to cross the Yemen-Saudi border between March 2022 and June 2023.
Attacks on migrant groups who crossed into Saudi Arabia on foot using inaccessible mountain trails were described by Human Rights Watch as ‘widespread and systematic’ and the ‘killings are continuing.’
In an email response to inquiries from the government’s media office, a Saudi official who declined to give their identity said that HRW’s claims were ‘unfounded and not based on reliable sources.’ Additionally, allegations made by U.N. representatives in 2022 that border guards killed migrants on purpose the previous year have been vehemently refuted by Saudi authorities.
Reuters emailed inquiries for comment early on Monday, but neither the Ethiopian government in Addis Abeba nor Houthi leaders in Yemen responded.
According to a representative for the State Department, the United States has expressed concerns to the Saudi government about the claims in the report and asked it to conduct a comprehensive and open inquiry.
Post Your Comments