{"id":1153,"date":"2026-04-29T14:44:06","date_gmt":"2026-04-29T14:44:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migrantsrightsmonitor.org\/?p=1153"},"modified":"2026-04-29T14:44:08","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T14:44:08","slug":"the-united-states-faces-calls-to-compensate-victims-of-the-saada-migrant-detention-centre-strike","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migrantsrightsmonitor.org\/en\/the-united-states-faces-calls-to-compensate-victims-of-the-saada-migrant-detention-centre-strike\/","title":{"rendered":"The United States Faces Calls to Compensate Victims of the Sa\u2019ada Migrant Detention Centre Strike"},"content":{"rendered":"
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On the first anniversary of the airstrike that targeted a detention centre for African migrants in Sa\u2019ada governorate, northern Yemen, on 28 April 2025, human rights calls continue for an independent and transparent investigation into the attack, which killed and injured dozens of African migrants, most of them Ethiopian nationals, amid the ongoing absence of accountability and the failure to provide victims and their families with any effective reparations or support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to international and human rights reports, the strike targeted a detention facility under the control of Ansar Allah (Houthis) group in Sa\u2019ada city, killing at least 68 migrants and injuring 47 others, in one of the deadliest incidents affecting African migrants in Yemen in recent years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amnesty International stated that the airstrike raised serious concerns regarding the extent to which US forces complied with international humanitarian law, noting that the attack should be investigated as a strike that may amount to a war crime. The organization also explained that US authorities have yet to publish the results of any investigations related to the incident, despite a full year having passed since the attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Erika Guevara Rosas, Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns at Amnesty International\u2019s International Secretariat, said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cOne year on, US authorities have still failed to hold anyone accountable or even clarify the outcome of the investigations they had previously announced. Victims\u2019 families continue to be denied truth and justice, while survivors remain without effective support or reparations.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

According to testimonies documented by the organization during interviews with survivors in April 2026, many continue to suffer from permanent injuries and severe physical and psychological disabilities. One Ethiopian survivor, identified as \u201cJirata,\u201d said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI lost hope\u2026 I came to Yemen to work and support my family, but now I am unable even to take care of myself.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Another survivor, \u201cAbay,\u201d stated:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI was searching for an opportunity to improve my family\u2019s life, but what happened made our lives harsher than before.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

In a related context, Mwatana for Human Rights documented additional information regarding the incident, confirming that the strike targeted a migrant holding ward inside the pretrial detention facility in Sa\u2019ada city, where migrants were being held in inadequate conditions. The organization also reported additional violations following the strike, including the use of live ammunition against some migrants who attempted to flee or survive after the bombardment, resulting in additional casualties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mwatana emphasized that this incident reflects the compounded risks faced by African migrants in Yemen, not only because of the armed conflict, but also due to arbitrary detention and abuses associated with migration management practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The incident also highlights the broader reality faced by African migrants in Yemen, where thousands remain trapped along dangerous migration routes amid the absence of adequate legal and humanitarian protection. Migrants face multiple risks, including airstrikes, shootings at border areas, detention, and abuses linked to smuggling and human trafficking networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was not the only incident in which African migrants became victims of airstrikes in Yemen. Over recent years, several similar incidents have occurred, including the January 2022 strike that targeted a migrant detention centre in Sa\u2019ada and resulted in dozens of deaths and injuries, according to United Nations and international reports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Migrants Rights Monitor<\/strong> (MRM) <\/strong>affirmed that the continued absence of accountability for such attacks further exacerbates the vulnerability of migrants in Yemen and reinforces a climate of impunity. The organization stressed the importance of launching an independent and transparent international investigation into the airstrike on the Sa\u2019ada detention centre and ensuring accountability for all those responsible for violations associated with the incident, including any unlawful use of force against migrants after the attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ali Mayas<\/strong>, Founder of MRM<\/strong> Migrants Rights Monitor, stated:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThe absence of accountability one year after this incident sends a dangerous message that migrants\u2019 lives can be marginalized without consequence. Victims and their families are entitled to truth, justice, and reparations, and the protection of migrants in conflict zones must remain a priority under international humanitarian law.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The organization also called for effective and comprehensive reparations for survivors and victims\u2019 families, including medical treatment, rehabilitation, and psychosocial support, particularly as many of the injured have lost their ability to work or support their families because of the injuries they sustained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One year after the strike, many survivors continue to face severe humanitarian conditions, while victims\u2019 families continue demanding truth, disclosure of the investigation findings, and guarantees that such violations against migrants and civilians in Yemen will not be repeated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n