The local authorities in Hodeidah announced that the Houthi group recently intensified the digging of tunnels and trenches in the Al-Durayhimi District on the southern outskirts of the coastal city in western Yemen.

The local authority in Hodeidah confirmed in a statement that during the past two days, the Houthi group forced 350 families from five villages in the Al-Jarrahi District, or about 1,750 people, to evacuate their homes, at gunpoint, to begin development, dig tunnels and build military fortifications.

She pointed out that the residents of these villages are now living in the open after they were forcibly displaced from their homes and farms, which they depend on as a main source of income, in light of complete neglect and silence by local and international human rights organizations towards these blatant violations.

The statement condemned "the forced displacement operations carried out by the Houthi group of residents of a number of villages in the coastal districts since the end of last October, as part of its series of crimes and gross daily violations of human rights."

This comes days after local residents and human rights activists reported warnings issued by the Houthi group to residents of the coastal area of ​​Al-Manzhar in Al-Hawk District, which has a population of 4,500 people, to evacuate their homes within 5 days.

The Human Rights Office in the governorate said that the group displaced residents of villages on the Haradh-Al-Hudaydah line in Bajil District, and also turned the Al-Khubah Fish Port in Al-Lahiyah District into a closed military zone and prevented fishermen from practicing their usual activities.

He explained that these movements reflect a state of unprecedented military buildup in Hodeidah, through which the group aims to transform it into a complete military barracks.