Taiz pupils keep attending school amid sniper fire and civil war risks
Children in Taiz, south-western Yemen, are attending school despite the location being directly on the front line of the country's civil war. The school sits between government-held territory and Houthi sniper positions, forcing pupils like 10-year-old Rafeef to walk uphill with their backs exposed to snipers. The conflict has recently intensified, with Houthis cutting off a key supply route and residents fearing the city could be overrun imminently.
According to Unicef, 3.2 million Yemeni children were already out of school before the recent escalation, and thousands have been killed, maimed or recruited by armed groups since the war began in 2014. Despite these severe risks, pupils continue attending because school offers their only opportunity to socialise with friends, and their parents believe education provides a path to a better future. Rafeef was previously injured by shrapnel from a mortar attack and still bears scars, yet remains determined to become a doctor.
- Children risk sniper fire and mortar attacks walking to school near Yemen's conflict line.
- Over 3.2 million Yemeni children were already out of school before the recent escalation.
- Despite grave dangers, pupils continue attending for friendship and hope for better futures.
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Yemen has been locked in civil war since 2014, with fighting between the internationally-recognised government and the Houthis. The war has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions of people.
Taiz sits directly on the front line of Yemen's civil war, positioned between government-controlled territory and Houthi-held areas. Children there face sniper fire and mortar attacks simply to attend school, yet thousands continue to go despite these dangers.
Millions of Yemeni children have already been pushed out of school by the war, and thousands have been killed, injured or forced to join armed groups. Despite these dangers, families still send their children to school because education represents hope for a better future and provides children with a place to socialise and experience something resembling normal childhood.
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Originally published by BBC World as “Children brave snipers and mortars to go to school near Yemen front line”.