At Least 115 Children Killed as a Result of War in Yemen · Global Voices
Noon Arabia

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Yemen said there were 7.9 million children among the 15.9 million people – 60 per cent of the total population – in need of humanitarian assistance in war-torn Yemen. The increasing violence in Yemen is taking an intolerable toll on children. UNICEF stated that at least 115 children have been killed and 172 maimed as a result of conflict in Yemen since 26 March. It believes that these are conservative numbers as the verification process is ongoing and that the total number of children killed or maimed is likely to be higher.
At least 115 children killed & 172 maimed in deadly month-long fighting in #Yemen http://t.co/Xay1qCfxNy @UNICEFmedia pic.twitter.com/SfRU89VD8R
— UNICEF (@UNICEF) April 24, 2015
Arab coalition forces have been pounding Yemen with airstrikes since March 26. Their assault has not been limited to military sites or the main target of the campaign, the Houthis, who had taken control of Yemen's capital Sana'a in January.
There is also massive destruction in the beautiful southern port city Aden, where the Houthis have been launching their response along with militias loyal to Yemen's former president, Ali Abdulla Saleh, who was forced to step down after three decades in power, following popular protests in 2011.
As usual children are the ones most traumatised and victimised in any war, yet in the war in Yemen, some of them are both soldiers killing and victims being killed.
Julien Harneis, Unicef’s representative in Yemen, said:
We are seeing children in battle, at checkpoints and unfortunately among [those] killed and injured,” during a stop in Geneva…There are children dying in bombings in the north … and by very intense battles in Aden and Daleh. All of the parties to the conflict are to blame
He added, staff of Unicef and its partners had estimated that around 30 per cent of fighters in the armed groups were minors:
UNICEF believes 30% of Yemen fighters are children, killing and being killed. http://t.co/E9fHuEDr5I pic.twitter.com/hU1RfVuSJ0
— Kenneth Roth (@KenRoth) April 10, 2015
Children fighting
Militancy over Education? Children turning to arms and not books…. to fight alongside Houthis. #Yemen #اليمن pic.twitter.com/WHxzpx3yFF
— Yemen Post Newspaper (@YemenPostNews) April 20, 2015
#Yemen #Houthis militia hire young army . pic.twitter.com/mI90vLrBEB
— Hamzah alkamaly (@hamzaalkamaly) April 8, 2015
Defending their homes
Activist asked children:what're U doin here?They said:it's a check point 2 prevent houthi militia from coming #Aden pic.twitter.com/5SiM0mMt4Y
— amal suqaf (@amalsuqaf) April 8, 2015
Injured and killed by it
More than 400 children have been killed or injured from #Saudi Airstrikes according to #Yemen Health Ministry, #اليمن pic.twitter.com/2Ujnpg2i7n
— Yemen Post Newspaper (@YemenPostNews) April 11, 2015
Child…casualty of war. Father carrying his killed son to his grave. #Yemen #OpDecisiveStorm #عاصفة_الحزم #اليمن pic.twitter.com/eDbCe5uMOk
— Yemen Post Newspaper (@YemenPostNews) April 19, 2015
"Hevey shelling in #Aden killed the child Anas, he was in his room playing you see how threatening he was!! pic.twitter.com/futo0VbJbb"
— Thana Faroq (@Thanafaroq) April 4, 2015
Sara 10 killed by sniper few days ago N #aden was playin w siblings @home,fall down&didn't getup again #AdenBleeding pic.twitter.com/aQRTl0mm8b
— Rasha Jarhum (@RashaJarhum) April 22, 2015
PR-CHILD KILLED AND 48 INJURED FOLLOWING HUGE MILITARY EXPLOSION IN SANA’A RESIDENTIAL AREA #yemenchildren #Yemen https://t.co/x3ZakFdUDo
— Save the Children YE (@sciyemen) April 22, 2015
Another child (4 years) added to AlHothis & Saleh victims in #Aden -South #yemen. Killed today by sniper's bullet. pic.twitter.com/y6F0MmZdmu
— Mohammed Alyazedi (@MohamedAlyazedy) April 22, 2015
Loosing families and homes
“Ruins are all over. Please stop this war.” Nesmah, 13, from Aden, #Yemen. Via @UNICEF_Yemen pic.twitter.com/LViLrsrnj0
— UNICEF (@UNICEF) April 16, 2015
This kid lost his parents in a Saudi airstrike outside Sanaa #Yemen Dear #KSA, his house is not aHouthi military base pic.twitter.com/00Ny45KJZ5
— Yemen Post Newspaper (@YemenPostNews) April 5, 2015
Traumatised by it
This war will have its biggest impact on children, let alone the infrastructure that has been destroyed.#SaveYemen
— Zaid al-Alaya'a (@zaidaahmed) April 11, 2015
Kids taking refuge against wall, covering ears from loud explosions, watching sky for hell coming from above #Yemen pic.twitter.com/TGnd78nsJ6
— Hisham Al-Omeisy (@omeisy) April 16, 2015
Hisham Al-Omeisy ( gives a first hand recount of how his children are traumatised to BBC World Service Radio:
Children of Yemen draw war images instead of flowers.#YemenVoices @HelenClarkUNDP @UNICEF_Yemen @UNDP @miktanaka pic.twitter.com/G29meANyuz
— UNDP Yemen (@UNDPYEMEN) April 14, 2015
Six year old Wigdan woke up to bullets and shrapnel close to her bed. RT to tell the world her story #yemen pic.twitter.com/4Fq21urtOG
— UNICEF Yemen (@UNICEF_Yemen) April 19, 2015
Carrying the burden
Poor child insists on selling flower necklaces though streets are empty & airstrike from above. #Yemen #اليمن pic.twitter.com/IARqV0ELV9
— Yemen Post Newspaper (@YemenPostNews) April 17, 2015
War in #Aden did not stop even children from cleaning streets in the absence of a government. #Yemen #اليمن pic.twitter.com/PCtTbXcDIU
— Yemen Post Newspaper (@YemenPostNews) April 14, 2015
Humanitarian crises forces children to help their family survive the war in #Yemen #اليمن pic.twitter.com/XYgcEfLZjm
— Yemen Post Newspaper (@YemenPostNews) April 12, 2015
"If it happens and I die say that im a nice kid helping my dad and i don't get scared when I hear explosions" #Yemen pic.twitter.com/9tOl8OLVZR
— Everyday Yemen (@everydayyemen) April 6, 2015
Hoping for peace
"We want to be safe. I want to go to school, play and be happy. No more war." #YemenChildren, via @UNICEF_Yemen pic.twitter.com/vlzaUIQ7r9
— UNICEF (@UNICEF) April 9, 2015
A cry for peace from the children of Yemen to their rulers and to the world to end the war.