A/HRC/42/CRP.1 Hajour is seen by some as a strategic move to secure the mountains of Hajour and the road to Sana’a, and ensure Houthi positioning in the North. 453. Whatever the reasons behind the upsurge in violence, the significance of the conflict in Hajour is that it is emblematic of the complex dynamics marking the conflict in Yemen. It also speaks for the efforts on all sides of the conflict to gain negotiating grounds, and to open up new fronts while seemingly resolving others, all battles that have so far been aimed at sustaining the war effort, with its devastating impact on millions of entrapped Yemenis today. (b) Violations committed by the Houthis and impact of the conflict on civilians in Hajour “Civilians were not allowed to leave the region during the war. It was either death or prison, or of course to become loyal to them [the Houthis]. And loyalty means taking part in the war against your tribe”. Tribal Sheikh from Hajour722 454. The period extending from January until 8 March 2019 was marked by escalating hostilities and ground fighting in a number of locations throughout Hajjah governorate. The Group of Experts documented incidents in Kushar, Abbaysah and also in Bani Hassan, where armed confrontations between the Houthis and the Government of Yemen were taking place. This section focuses on the Hajour conflict. According to various sources, the de facto authorities won or coerced,723 even prior to the inception of hostilities, the loyalty of some tribal Sheikhs within the area, which further complicated local dynamics, as tribes became divided, weakening the resistance to the Houthi military operations within Hajour. On 18 February, in reply to a call for support from the Hajouri tribes, coalition forces reportedly airdropped ammunition as well as medical supplies into Kushar. According to various sources,724 these supplies only exacerbated internecine disputes amongst the tribes, whose leading Sheikhs had suffered major divisions by then. Witnesses from Hajour described heavy shelling and ground fighting in their villages, some citing the use of midrange ballistic missiles by the Houthis into populated areas. 725 According to a number of witnesses and victims, the Hajouri tribes were poorly equipped in comparison to the Houthis, and individuals sometimes joined the fight “to defend their homes” when Houthis reached their villages. The Group received reports of a worrying and widespread pattern of arrests targeting men and boys from Hajouri tribes, many of whom were reportedly disappeared. 455. During its investigations into the incidents in Hajour, the Group of Experts documented a number of violations linked to the armed conflict, mainly perpetrated by the Houthis in a number of villages during or following the military takeover of the area. In addition, the Group of Experts received allegations regarding one case of arrest and illtreatment of a man from Hajour by coalition forces726, although the Group could not confirm such allegations due to security concerns for victims and sources. In another incident, the Group was informed of the death of one Houthi-affiliated detainee who was reportedly taken hostage by the Government of Yemen during confrontations on one of Hajjah’s fronts. These allegations could nevertheless not be confirmed and the circumstances of his death remain unclear. Time limitations, lack of access, and security considerations in relation to victims and sources had a significant impact on the Group’s ability to further investigate alleged violations committed by all parties to the conflict in Hajour. These will remain under investigation. 456. While the Group of Experts directly witnessed, through its remote engagement with victims and other sources throughout Yemen, the fear that Yemenis constantly experience, this fear is worth reiterating in relation to the inhabitants of Hajjah and the events of the 722 Confidential Sources on File. Confidential Sources on File. 724 Confidential Sources on File. 725 Confidential Sources on File. 726 Confidential Sources on File. 723 113