A/HRC/42/CRP.1 156. At the beginning of April 2015, a period of intense fire exchange around the alQatiya’a health compound160 occurred when Houthi-Saleh fighters, positioned at alMa’asheeq mountain overlooking al-Qatiya’a, fought against Resistance fighters operating from the streets adjacent to the health compound.161 On 2 April 2015, from about 08:00 hrs until 17:00 hrs, Houthi-Saleh snipers fired regularly in the direction of the al-Qatiya’a health compound, hitting the building and civilians at the front entrance of the compound from their position on the al-Ma’asheeq Mountain.162 (See previous section on sniper fire for details on civilian casualties.) 157. Resistance fighters were present in the streets adjacent to the health compound and on the day of the attack, by mid-day, took position in a nearby building, from where they fired back in direction of the mountain. One medical doctor, reported that some days after the attack, Houthi-Saleh fighters demanded to search the clinic for members of Resistance.163 Events at al-Jumhuriyah Hospital in Khormaksar District, Aden 158. During the second half of April 2015, Houthi-Saleh fighters engaged in street fighting against Resistance groups in Khormaksar district, Aden governorate. AlJumhuriyah hospital in Khormaksar is the largest and most important hospital in Aden. From the beginning of the Houthi-Saleh offensive in Aden, al-Jumhuriyah Hospital received dozens of patients injured in fighting all over the city. 164 159. As the fighting drew closer to the hospital, Houthi-Saleh fighters deployed snipers in its vicinity. On 20 April 2015, a sniper shot and injured one young man in the jaw while he accompanied his mother for treatment in the hospital. 165 Towards the end of April, HouthiSaleh fighters urged the residents of Khormaksar to leave the area, prohibited access to the hospital, and actively looked for injured Resistance patients. 166 As fighting around the hospital intensified, on 27 April, medical personnel left al-Jumhuriyah and transferred the majority of the patients to other medical facilities and locations. 167 These circumstances led to the closure of the Hospital for the duration of the offensive in Aden, depriving hundreds of inhabitants of Aden of access to specialized and life-saving medical care.168 160. On the same day, Houthi-Saleh fighters surrounded the hospital and deployed snipers on high buildings facing its main entrance.169 They fired at the hospital with light and heavy weapons, causing damage to the building. Shrapnel hit the dialysis centre and damaged five machines.170 The firing also damaged the main laboratory and the water reservoirs, leaving the hospital without water.171 The fighting and the sniper activity became so intense that nobody could go in or out of the hospital for about four days.172 161. According to al-Jumhuriyah staff, about seven patients had remained in the hospital during this period. These patients were refugees from Ethiopia who had nowhere to go and suffered from serious illnesses requiring specific treatment in hospital. 173 As a consequence of the isolation of the hospital during the period of heavy fighting in Khormaksar, at least two of those patients died due to a lack of food, water, and vital medical care. 174 Other 160 Confidential Sources on File. Confidential Sources on File. 162 Confidential Sources on File. 163 Confidential Sources on File. 164 Confidential Sources on File. 165 Confidential Sources on File. 166 Confidential Sources on File. 167 Confidential Sources on File. 168 Confidential Sources on File. 169 Confidential Sources on File. 170 Confidential Sources on File. 171 Confidential Sources on File. 172 Confidential Sources on File. 173 Confidential Sources on File. 174 Confidential Sources on File. 161 37