The Houthi-closed Taiz Road Map: What does the United Nations know about the suffering of two million Yemenis?
English - Sunday 02 October 2022 الساعة 10:36 am
Taiz, NewsYemen, special:
Moving from the city of Taiz to its eastern gate (Al-Hawban), did not take more than 20 minutes, but now it takes from 6 to 7 hours as a result of the siege imposed by the Houthi militia, the Iranian arm in Yemen, on the residents of the city.
The Houthi militia imposes its control over all the ports of Taiz, starting from the Al-Hawban area road, which is a circular line that starts from the east of the city and passes through its northern neighborhoods, Sofitel, Al-Arbaeen, Asafra, and Mafraq Sharaab, all the way to the Hajda Al-Barh-Mokha line.
Looking at the map of the areas controlled by Iran’s arm at the closed ports, it controls the “Sofitel and Asafra” areas inside the city, Al-Ta’aziah and Haifan districts, in addition to Mawiyah, Al-Jundi, and Al-Hawban area east of Taiz, and the Sharaab area to the west, and it also controls part of Jabal Habashi and the Maqbna area.
With the siege of the city, residents were forced to take rugged and narrow side roads, endangering their lives, accidents, searches, extortion, harassment and sometimes kidnapping at the checkpoints of the Iranian arm.
A.M., a transport driver who passes on a daily basis between the city and Al-Hawban, recounts their suffering, saying: “We are subjected to forced death on a daily basis on the rugged, unpaved mountainous alternative roads,” explaining that these roads were used to connect some villages only before the war. Today, it is crowded with hundreds of vehicles on a daily basis, in which many victims of traffic accidents fall daily.
He continues: "Daily we witness death and suffering of our travelers, especially patients who receive treatment outside the city of Taiz, not to mention patients who receive treatment inside Taiz city."
The driver points out that road closures impede the movement of movement and the delivery of foodstuffs and citizens to the city, and that tankers are exposed to overturning and damage to the materials on board, especially with the rainy season.
Al-Aqroud roads
Al-Aqroud roads, affiliated to Al-Misrakh District, southeast of the city, are one of the alternative roads developed by the city’s residents. It connects Taiz with the villages of Al-Misrakh and then the city. It starts from the Al-Hawban Roundabout - Al-Aqroud- to the city of Taiz. The length of the line is approximately 85 km.
Geographically, the Al-Aqroud road is rugged, between asphalt, dirt and mountainous, and it takes 5 to 6 hours to pass by car, and citizens receive great harassment from militia points.
Al-Khallal area is the last area controlled by Iran's arm in Al-Misrakh district and one of the alternative road outlets.
Citizens coming from Al-Hawban through Al-Dumna pass through 7 militia points distributed among members of the militia’s guards, including a point affiliated with the so-called preventive security.
Iran’s arm imposes strict measures on citizens crossing the road, and they are subject to strict measures by the preventive security at the last point leading to the city of Taiz.
A taxi driver named (S.A.) speaks to "Newsmen", as an eyewitness, and says: "Citizens are subject to a thorough search of their belongings, and the identities of the citizens are taken, and most of them are subject to investigation and tour inspections, and from that point a number of them are taken to Al-Saleh City prison under a different claim. While Others are paying large sums of money to release them after being charged with malicious charges.
Abdullah Saleh, a citizen and expatriate in Saudi Arabia, who was on his way to visit his sister in the city, says that he was subjected to extortion at that point after he was detained and left the car carrying him on the pretext of his participation in the fighting in the ranks of the so-called mercenaries.
Abdullah said that the militia members charged him with many accusations, terrorizing and intimidating him, until one of the militia members asked for 500,000 to release him, and after negotiations, one thousand and two hundred Saudi riyals were paid for his release.
Vehicle drivers say that most of the time, militia points allow them to cross without inspection, and sometimes they check the data and items of travelers, they are blackmailed and terrorized, and the individual remains free to either pay a sum of money or take him to Al-Saleh City prison.
Samea Taiz line
This line starts from the Al-Hawban-Samea-Taiz roundabout, and citizens pass through three roads in the Sami district of varying distances. It is a diverse road between little asphalt, dirt and mountainous, and it takes six hours to pass by car.
There are many Houthi points on this road, and the sons of Sami’ are in charge, except for the leaders of the points from the sons of Saada. The points are subject to inspection, but they do not intercept any traveler from the sons of Sami’, regardless of their affiliation, according to prior agreements between Islah and the Houthis.
It is mediated by the districts of Al-Mawasit, Al-Silw, Haifan, Al-Misrakh, Al-Ma'afer, and Khadir districts.
Abd al-Rahman al-Samie says that from the Samea district, al-Houthi can cut off a rugged branch road leading to Bani Yusuf, Bani Hammad, Quds, and al-Turbah. It also branches off a road to Al-Nashma district of Al-Ma'afer.
Haijat Al-Abed Road
The Taiz-Al-Turbah line passes through it to reach Aden, and it is an open road and has been available since the beginning of the war
The Haijat al-Abed road is narrow and mostly unpaved, and steep and steep mountains wind around it.
Large trucks, other trucks and buses, which carry goods and passengers, are exposed to the dangers of traveling on sharp turns.
With the rainy season, the dangers of this alternative road increase significantly, as it is unpaved dirt that is easily submerged by water and filled with backfill and is closed from time to time due to rockslides in addition to vehicle overturning accidents.
Residents of the city and rural areas in Taiz governorate travel through this route to Aden governorate to travel abroad, for treatment or work, and to move between the liberated governorates.
The journey on the Haijat al-Abed road takes eight hours from the city center to Aden.
Road closures severely impede the movement of food, medicine, and other basic commodities to and from the governorate.
Jabal Habashi Hajdah port
The Jabal Habashi Hajdah port is a port where cars leading to Sharaab and Shamir move, and travelers travel there for about seven hours.
Al-Ayyar outlet, located after Wadi Al-Ikhloud Bridge, with the beginning of Jabal Habashi, is the last point of the legitimate forces.
Local residents say that the Houthi port is where travelers are subjected to strict procedures. Passengers on their way to the city are lowered to a large hangar at the point, and their data is sent to an unknown destination, and then procedures are taken to allow them to continue walking or detain them.
The Hajda Jabal Habashi port is no different from other outlets in extorting citizens. Travelers leaving the city are subjected to close inspection and are prohibited from taking large quantities of vegetables, fruits and foodstuffs, and any large quantities weighing more than ten kilograms are subject to customs.
Al-Kadha Road
Al-Kadha Road is a main line of communication linking the coastal districts of Taiz with the governorate center. The road passes through the areas of Al-Baireen - Al-Kadha - Al-Hannaya - Al-Aqma - and Al-Waziah Junction.
The Al-Kadha road is the closest to the Al-Wazia-Rasin road, which takes about 5 hours to cross, and requires passing through very rugged rocky slopes.
The vital line was reopened to passenger traffic in October of 2021, based on the directives of the member of the Presidential Council, head of the Political Bureau of the National Resistance, Brigadier Tariq Saleh.
