An explosion killed five children on Friday evening in a residential area of southwestern Yemen, according to local witnesses and human rights groups.
The incident took place in the Al Hashmah subdistrict of Taiz province. Rights groups, including the Yemen Center for Human Rights and Eye of Humanity, said the blast came from an artillery shell.
They claimed militias linked to the Islah party fired it. The Islah party supports the internationally recognised government in southern Yemen.
Children hit while playing
Two local witnesses, Ahmed al-Sharee and Khaled al-Areki, said the children were playing football when the explosion occurred. Three other people suffered minor to moderate injuries and were taken to hospital.
Another resident, Mahmoud Al Mansi, said the shell appeared to come from a position held by Islah-aligned forces.
UNICEF confirmed it had seen reports but said it could not verify the details.
Conflict in Taiz continues
The Yemen Center for Human Rights condemned the attack. In a report including images from the scene, it said the children died from shrapnel wounds. Medical staff at Al-Rafai Hospital confirmed the victims showed no signs of life on arrival. Two of the children were 12 years old, and two others were 14. The age of the fifth child is still unknown.
Taiz city has been a key conflict zone in Yemen’s civil war. Fighting in the area involves Houthi forces backed by Iran and militias allied with the Islah party. Since 2016, the Houthis have enforced a blockade on the city. This has limited access to essential goods and movement. Recently, they reopened several key roads.
