Houthi Militia Abducts Four Children in Hajjah Over September 26 Celebrations

Houthi militants have abducted four children, aged between 12 and 13, in the Kushar district of Hajjah governorate, Yemen, for participating in commemorations marking the 64th anniversary of the September 26 Revolution.

Local sources reported that the children were taken into custody in the Nid Khuraim area while they were attending school for examinations. Reports indicate that one of the detained minors suffers from a pre-existing medical condition, further raising concerns regarding their well-being under Houthi detention.

Families of the abducted children have launched urgent appeals for their release; however, the Houthi authorities have thus far ignored all requests and demands for the minors' freedom. The detention of these students occurs amid a broader crackdown initiated by the militia to suppress public celebrations commemorating the 1962 revolution, which ended the Imamate rule in northern Yemen.

This incident is part of a wider campaign of intimidation enforced by Houthi forces across territories under their control. In the capital, Sanaa, the militia has deployed significant military hardware and intensified security patrols to prevent citizens from gathering to mark the national holiday, an aggressive security posture that has become a recurring annual occurrence.

The arbitrary detention of minors for engaging in national festivities has drawn widespread condemnation from local observers. Critics emphasize the severity of targeting children who should be focused on their education, highlighting the ongoing suppression of civic expression and the systematic violation of human rights in Houthi-controlled regions.