Saudi Arabian border guards have killed hundreds of Ethiopian migrants, including women and children, who attempted to enter the kingdom along its mountainous border with Yemen, according to a 73-page report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) released on Monday. The rights group stated that explosive weapons were used by Saudi guards to kill some migrants, while others were shot at close range. The report included testimonies from 38 Ethiopians who tried to cross the Yemen-Saudi border between March 2022 and June 2023, as well as statements from four relatives or friends of migrants.
Described as “widespread and systematic”, HRW stated that attacks against groups of migrants using remote mountain tracks to enter Saudi Arabia on foot are ongoing. The report also cites a Saudi official, who remained anonymous, denying the allegations made by HRW and stating that they were “unfounded and not based on reliable sources”. Saudi authorities have also denied previous allegations made by UN officials in 2022 regarding the systematic killing of migrants by border guards in the previous year.
As of the time of reporting, neither the Ethiopian government in Addis Ababa nor the Houthi officials in Yemen had responded to requests for comment. The US State Department spokesperson confirmed that concerns raised in the report had been communicated to the Saudi government, adding that the US urged a thorough and transparent investigation.
According to U.N. studies, an estimated 750,000 Ethiopians currently reside in Saudi Arabia. Many have left their home country due to economic hardships, while others have fled the conflict in the northern province of Tigray.
The migration route from the Horn of Africa, across the Gulf of Aden, through Yemen, and into Saudi Arabia has long been established as a pathway for Ethiopian migrants seeking better opportunities in the wealthy Arab nation.
HRW based its report on witness testimonies, as well as 350 videos and photos of wounded and killed migrants, and satellite imagery showing the locations of Saudi Arabian guard posts. However, the researchers were unable to access the specific area of the Yemen-Saudi border where the alleged killings took place. Nadia Hardman, the report’s author, described the accounts of “killing fields” with bodies scattered throughout the mountain area.
Independent analysis by Reuters of the video clips provided by HRW confirmed the authenticity of the footage, including images of corpses, injured individuals, the digging of graves, and groups of people traveling through mountain paths. However, the time of filming could not be verified.
One victim, Mustafa Sofian Mohammed, 22, recounted that his group of 45 Ethiopians were targeted by machine gun and grenade fire from Saudi territory near the border on July 10, 2022. Mustafa’s left leg was partially severed, and he was eventually rescued by another group. He received medical treatment in Yemen and Ethiopia, with his expenses covered by the International Organization for Migration.
The International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) analyzed the videos and photographs provided by HRW and found evidence of munition explosions and gunshot wounds, suggesting clear patterns of violence. The UN Human Rights Office, which has been monitoring the situation, called for a full investigation into the HRW allegations and for those responsible to be held accountable.
The report by HRW follows previous allegations made by the UN in October 2022, which claimed that 430 migrants were systematically killed at the border in at least 16 incidents between January and April 2022. Saudi authorities rejected these allegations in a letter issued by the kingdom’s U.N. mission in March 2023, stating that border security regulations ensure humane treatment and prohibit mistreatment or torture.
Reported by Andrew Mills in the Gulf Bureau, Tiksa Negeri in Harar, Ethiopia, and Milan Pavicic in Gdansk, with additional reporting by Emma Farge in Geneva, Daphne Psaledakis in Washington, and Dawit Endeshaw in Addis Ababa. Written by Andrew Mills. Edited by Daniel Flynn.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
