Five people were killed and several others injured on Sunday during fierce clashes between Houthi militants and local tribal fighters in Al-Bayda Governorate, central Yemen.

According to tribal and local sources, heavy fighting erupted in the Al-Hafrah neighborhood of Rada'a city after Houthi militants attempted to abduct a resident. The confrontation began when armed Houthi members tried to seize young Mohammed Al-Sabbahi in front of a restaurant on the main street, escalating quickly into violent clashes.

The sources said Houthi forces deployed military reinforcements to the area, imposed a security cordon, and launched raid campaigns, while their snipers took positions atop buildings surrounding the neighborhood.

The confrontation reportedly resulted in the death of two Houthi fighters and the injury of others, while three tribal members were killed—including the young man targeted for abduction, Mohammed Al-Sabbahi.

Local sources indicated that tensions remain high, fueled by growing public anger over continuous violations against civilians by Houthi forces over the years.

In a related development, the Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms—a non-governmental organization—has documented approximately 8,186 incidents of human and material harm in Al-Bayda from January 2015 to January 2025, attributed to Houthi forces.

A recent report by the network detailed 842 civilian deaths, including women and children, and 931 injuries—some of which resulted in permanent disabilities. The report cited a range of methods of violence, including direct sniper fire, random shelling, landmines, home demolitions, and torture.

The network also documented 2,780 cases of arbitrary detention and abduction, 366 forced disappearances, and 132 cases of psychological and physical torture.

It condemned these violations as flagrant breaches of the Geneva Conventions, international humanitarian law, and human rights law—alleging they amount to war crimes. The organization called on the international community and the United Nations to intervene urgently to end these abuses, lift blockades, and guarantee safe passage for humanitarian aid.