On April 28, 2025, between 4:00 and 4:30 am local time, a U.S. air strike hit a migrant detention center in Sa’ada, northwestern Yemen, killing and injuring dozens of African migrants. The migrants were being detained by the Huthi de facto authorities.
The strike on the migrant detention center was carried out in the context of a new wave of U.S. air and naval strikes in Yemen, coined “Operation Rough Rider,” in the early days of President Trump’s second term in office.
The U.S. claimed that, between March 15 and April 29, 2025, it had hit over 1,000 targets in Yemen. On May 6, 2025, the U.S. announced it was ending its military campaign against the Huthis.
Based on the evidence gathered, including survivors’ testimonies, satellite imagery, and footage, and its analysis, Amnesty International has reasonable basis to conclude that the U.S. air strike on the migrant detention center in the Sa’ada prison compound in Yemen qualifies as an indiscriminate attack, which is a serious violation of international humanitarian law, and should be investigated as a war crime.
The U.S. must conduct a prompt, thorough, independent, impartial and transparent investigation into the air strike and into any other air strikes that have resulted in civilian casualties and where the rules of international humanitarian law may have been violated in Yemen. Where sufficient evidence exists, competent authorities should prosecute any person suspected of criminal responsibility for war crimes, including under the doctrine of command responsibility, in proceedings that fully comply with the right to a fair trial and without recourse to the death penalty.
Victims and their families should receive full reparation, including financial compensation.
The Huthi de facto authorities should conduct a prompt, thorough, independent, impartial, and transparent investigation into the failure to evacuate and provide shelter to the detained migrants, as per their human rights responsibilities to protect the right to life. The Huthis should also provide the survivors of the attack with a temporary residency status so they may recuperate, heal and complete any required medical treatment in Huthi-controlled territory without fear of further detention.