Human Rights Watch (HRW) have accused Yemeni state security forces of threatening health care in the southern port city of Aden by forcibly removing wounded patients, allegedly militants, from hospitals.
Exchanges of gunfire and beating of medical staff has resulted in one hospital in Aden suspending operations.
While state security forces claim that the patients they have sought to arrest are suspects of serious crimes, sources have linked most of the patients to Herak, a coalition of groups seeking increased autonomy or independence for former South Yemen.
It is reported that the violence is further fuelled by supporters and protectors of the alleged militants who engage in gunfire exchanges with state security forces on hospital premises.
Senior Yemen researcher at HRW, Letta Tayler, said:
“Gunfights in hospitals put patients and medical workers at grave risk and threaten to shut down health care in Aden. Both security forces and their opponents are showing callous indifference to human life.”
See here for full HRW press release
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