Saudi Arabia Killed Hundreds of Ethiopian Migrants: International Action Is Needed!
Shocking reports have revealed that Saudi Arabian border guards have killed hundreds of Ethiopian migrants, who attempted to enter the kingdom along its mountainous border with Yemen between March 2022 and June 2023.
The reports affirmed that these killings would be a crime against humanity, especially that dozens of children and women were among the victims, who were all mercilessly killed while crossing the border to escape from the Saudi-led war on Yemen.
In a detailed report titled “They Fired on Us Like Rain: Saudi Arabian Mass Killings of Ethiopian Migrants at the Yemen-Saudi Border”, Human Rights Watch said that Saudi guards used explosive weapons to kill some migrants and shot at others from close range, including women and children, in a pattern that is widespread and systematic.
In some instances, Saudi border guards first asked survivors in which limb of their body they preferred to be shot, before shooting them at close range.
According to the report, Saudi border guards also fired explosive weapons at migrants who had just been released from temporary Saudi detention and were attempting to flee back to Yemen.
Between January 1 and April 30, 2022, UN experts reported receiving allegations of “artillery shelling and small arms fire allegedly by Saudi security forces, causing the deaths of up to 430.”
Together for Justice stresses the urgent need for a UN-backed independent investigation into the killings and abuses against migrants and asylum seekers at the Yemen-Saudi border.
It also emphasises the necessity of not taking into consideration any investigations conducted by the Saudi regime due to its bad reputation and impunity policy.
Together for Justice also cautions against Saudi Arabia’s sportswashing efforts to enhance its reputation abroad and hide these heinous crimes and flagrant violations.