GENEVA — The United Nations’ top human‑rights official warned Thursday that civilians are suffering the greatest harm as Yemen’s civil war erupts once again. Volker Turk said his office has documented the killing of 32 civilians – 15 children and three women – since August, amid renewed clashes between Saudi‑backed Yemeni government forces and Iran‑backed Houthi fighters.

Escalation after a fragile truce

The latest violence marks a sharp escalation after a 2022 truce had largely frozen the conflict. Fighting has flared along long‑standing front lines, especially around the city of Taiz, as Houthi forces pushed southward along the Red Sea coast. The surge has triggered a humanitarian crisis, displacing more than 130,000 people and prompting some to flee across the Red Sea to Africa.

Civilian toll and documented attacks

Turk’s office recorded a total of 125 people killed or wounded in the recent flare‑up. Both sides claim hundreds have died in recent weeks, though detailed figures remain scarce. The UN also documented three attacks by the Houthi movement – formally known as Ansar Allah – on sites housing internally displaced persons since August. It was not immediately clear whether the UN’s casualty count includes injuries from those specific incidents.

Accusations of bias and calls for protection

Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam accused the UN human‑rights office of losing impartiality, alleging that Saudi‑backed forces have bombed public facilities, correctional centers, homes and schools. He dismissed the UN’s allegations as “false and unsupported by evidence.”

Turk responded by urging all parties to protect civilians and called for the release of more than 70 UN staff members currently detained by the Houthis, some of whom have been held for years.

Saudi response

Saudi officials have repeatedly asserted that their forces do not target civilians in Yemen. The Saudi diplomatic mission to the United Nations in Geneva did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

International concern

The renewed fighting underscores the fragility of the 2022 truce and the difficulty of achieving a lasting peace in a war that has already claimed tens of thousands of lives. Human‑rights observers stress that protecting civilians must remain a priority for all combatants, and that continued UN monitoring is essential to document violations and press for accountability.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.