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One of the most notorious and painful war crimes in the Yemen war is the "Arhab Mourning Gathering Massacre," which occurred on February 16, 2017, in Arhab district, Sana'a Governorate.
Date: February 16, 2017
Location: Arhab district, at the home of Mohammed Al Nakii in the village of Shiraa, 40 km north of Sana'a, Sana'a Governorate
Background: The Al Nakii family had lost a loved one a week earlier and were holding a mourning ceremony and receiving condolences
Attack: The Saudi-led coalition carried out a precision airstrike targeting the women's section of the gathering
Result: 8 women and 1 child were martyred, and over 10 women were injured
Destruction: The stone building where the ceremony was held was completely destroyed, with only three traditional Yemeni arches remaining
This attack was unprecedented and brutal because it targeted mourning women at a religious and traditional ceremony
The wife of Mohammed Al Nakii (the homeowner) was among the martyrs
This incident occurred a few months after the Sana'a funeral attack (October 2016), which killed 140 people
A clear symbol of the coalition's indifference to civilian lives and violation of international law
UN (Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, Special Envoy): "Women who were grieving were killed as a result of this airstrike. Such attacks on civilians are unjustifiable and must stop immediately"
Jamie McGoldrick, UN Humanitarian Coordinator: Called the attack "shocking" and strongly condemned it
Ansarullah Political Council (Houthis): Described the crime as "horrific" and a "war crime"
Saudi Coalition: Announced in a statement that they were "investigating the reports" but never accepted responsibility
Entesaf Organization: Produced a short film titled "Arhab Mourning Gathering Massacre" and identified the perpetrators as war criminals
This attack was part of a pattern of systematic coalition attacks on civilian ceremonies in Yemen
The coalition had previously attacked weddings, funerals, and memorial ceremonies in various Yemeni provinces
This pattern has been documented by the UN and Human Rights Watch as a "war crime"
One of the most infamous war crimes in Arhab district, Sana'a Governorate, is the "Arhab Mourning Gathering Massacre" that occurred in February 2017.
Date: February 16, 2017
Location: Arhab district, at the home of "Mohammed Al Nakii" in the village of "Shiraa", 40 km north of Sana'a
Description: Saudi-led coalition airstrike on a mourning gathering (condolence reception for Mohammed Al Nakii's brother who had died a few days earlier) [citation:6]
Target: The women's section of the gathering
Casualties: 8 women and 1 child killed, over 10 women wounded [citation:2][citation:6]
Destruction: The stone building was completely demolished except for three remaining arches [citation:6]
UN: "Women who were grieving were killed as a result of this airstrike. Such attacks on civilians are unjustifiable and must stop immediately" - Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, UN Special Envoy to Yemen [citation:6]
Jamie McGoldrick, UN Humanitarian Coordinator: Condemned the attack as "shocking" [citation:10]
Ansarullah Political Council: Called the crime "horrific" and a "war crime" [citation:3][citation:10]
Survivors: Mohammed Al Nakii's wife was among the killed [citation:6]
Saudi Coalition: Was "investigating the reports" [citation:6]
This attack was one of several coalition strikes on mourning and wedding gatherings in Yemen
Months earlier, the coalition had attacked a funeral in Sana'a in October 2016, killing 140 people [citation:2][citation:6]
The event is documented as a symbol of the coalition's disregard for civilian life
Entesaf organization produced a short film titled "Arhab Mourning Gathering Massacre" [citation:7]
The Saudi-led coalition airstrike on a mourning gathering in Arhab district on February 16, 2017, despite clear evidence of targeting civilians, has remained unpunished. Below are the details regarding the perpetrators and the prosecution process.
Direct Perpetrator: Saudi-led military coalition
Executive Force: Coalition fighter jets (likely F-15 or Tornado)
High Command: Senior military commanders of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates
Supporters: United States (weapons support, aerial refueling and intelligence), United Kingdom (arms sales)
Initial Reaction (February 16, 2017): The coalition announced in a statement that it was "investigating the reports" and committed to sharing any information with the media
Non-Acceptance of Responsibility: Unlike the October 2016 attack on a funeral hall in Sana'a which the coalition formally accepted and attributed to "incorrect information," the coalition never accepted responsibility for the Arhab attack
Possible Reason for Silence: Inability to justify targeting a civilian women's ceremony with any military pretext
Current Status: No military personnel have been tried or punished to date
Jamie McGoldrick, UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen: Called the attack "appalling" and stated: "It is not the first time that a funeral gathering is struck by airstrikes, nor is it the first time that women and children are killed in civilian premises. The manner in which the parties to the conflict are waging this war is taking an unacceptable toll on the civilian population in Yemen"
Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, UN Envoy to Yemen: Called on all parties to the conflict to "respect the sanctity of civilian life"
UN Human Rights Office: Called for independent investigations and accountability
Entesaf Organization for Women and Children's Rights: Published a report entitled "The Arhab Women's Funeral Massacre" documenting the Saudi coalition's crime. The organization called for legal prosecution of the perpetrators of this war crime
Human Rights Watch (HRW): Recorded this attack as a serious violation of international law and called for halting arms sales to the coalition
United Nations: Condemned the Saudi coalition for repeated attacks on civilians
United States: Primary supplier of weapons, guided munitions, aerial refueling and targeting intelligence to the coalition
United Kingdom: Sale of fighter jets and guided bombs to Saudi Arabia
International Demands: Human rights organizations have repeatedly called for halting arms sales to the coalition, but the US and UK have continued their military cooperation
Legal Status: These countries are also subject to international accusations due to their role in supplying weapons used in war crimes
Ansarullah Political Council (Houthis): Called the crime "horrific" and a "war crime," demanding punishment for the perpetrators
Victims' Family: Mohammed Al Nakii (the homeowner who lost his wife in the attack) described the attack as "barbaric"
Local Media: Published images of the complete destruction of the house and the bodies of women and children
Security Council Veto: The US and its allies prevent the referral of war crimes cases in Yemen to the International Criminal Court (ICC)
Yemen is not a party to the Rome Statute: The ICC does not have automatic jurisdiction to prosecute crimes in Yemen
Lack of International Political Will: Western countries prevent prosecution due to strategic interests and arms sales
Investigations: No independent and effective investigation has been conducted to identify and punish the perpetrators of this attack
Responsibility: The Saudi coalition has never formally accepted responsibility for this attack
Punishment: None of the perpetrators of this war crime have been tried or punished to date
Case Status: This case remains documented as an "unpunished war crime" in UN and human rights organization records
Entesaf Organization: Continues its work documenting this crime and pursuing legal action
Type
Organizations
Status
Affiliation
Rank/Position
فرماندهی عالی: سران عربستان سعودی (شاهزاده محمد بن سلمان) و امارات متحده عربی (محمد بن زاید)
Nationality
عربستان سعودی, امارات متحده عربی, سودان, ، بحرین, ، اردن ،, مصر, کویت
Created At
May 23, 2026
Updated At
May 23, 2026