RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – A damning report on Sunday, August 20, 2023, by Human Rights Watch, HRW, alleges that Saudi border guards have been involved in the mass killing of migrants, primarily Ethiopians, at the Yemeni border.
These migrants, often fleeing the war-torn regions of Yemen, aim to find refuge in Saudi Arabia but face life-threatening challenges en route.
The report, titled They Fired On Us Like Rain, includes graphic accounts from survivors detailing the indiscriminate shooting by Saudi police and soldiers on the challenging terrains of Yemen’s northern border with Saudi Arabia.
Migrants who survived these harrowing experiences have spoken out, detailing terrifying night-time border crossings.
Mustafa Mohammed, 21, recounts the chilling moment his group came under intense fire last year.
“The shooting went on and on,” he stated. Left with a nearly severed foot from the gunfire, Mohammed’s life-altering injuries are just one of many such cases.
In the Yemeni capital, other survivors, like the 18-year-old Zahra (name changed to protect identity), are visibly traumatized.
Zahra’s perilous journey cost her dearly – she lost all the fingers on one hand due to a bullet injury.
According to the UN’s International Organization for Migration, this migration route sees more than 200,000 people a year risking their lives crossing the sea from the Horn of Africa to Yemen, aiming to reach Saudi Arabia finally.
Along the way, many face imprisonment, beatings, and even death.
Nadia Hardman, the lead author of the HRW report, highlighted the severity of the abuses, which she describes as “essentially mass killings.” She mentioned, “People described sites that sound like killing fields – bodies strewn all over the hillside.”
While the report indicates a minimum of 655 migrant deaths, the actual number is speculated to be in the thousands.
“We have factually demonstrated that the abuses are widespread and systematic and may amount to a crime against humanity,” Hardman added.
Reports regarding these atrocities began circulating as early as last October, when UN experts wrote to the Riyadh government about the possible systematic pattern of cross-border killings.
Despite the severity of the claims, the Saudi government has previously denied allegations of large-scale, systematic killings at the border.
Further allegations from the Mixed Migration Centre, supported by interviews with survivors, have further underscored the issue.
Their report graphically describes scenes of rampant violence, including horrific narratives of machine guns and mortars targeting desperate migrants.
HRW’s recent report, fortified with eyewitness accounts and satellite imagery of crossing points and burial sites, provides a deeply disturbing and detailed insight into the alleged events at the border.
While the HRW report examines events up to June this year, the BBC has identified evidence suggesting the killings continue.
Despite numerous requests for comment regarding these grave accusations, the Saudi government has yet to respond.
