A/HRC/42/CRP.1 321. Despite the decrease in continuous fighting in 2017 and 2018 between the Houthis and the Yemeni armed forces and affiliated groups in comparison with the first two years of the conflict, sporadic fighting and intense shelling at times throughout the period continued to harm civilians and impact civilian objects. In early 2018, apparently indiscriminate shelling was reported in residential areas of Ta’izz city, as well as the districts of alMaqbanah and al-Wazyiah.475 Rockets allegedly fired from Houthi positions killed and injured civilians in rural districts of the governorate, in areas free of any active conflict nearby or apparent military objectives. Houthi snipers continued to threaten those living close to the frontlines, who in going about their daily lives, risked being shot. From late May 2019, intense fighting escalated on the edges of the city to the west, north and east with the use of heavy weaponry. Confrontations started late at night and continued through to the morning.476 As one local resident described it: “in three days we have been brought back to the beginning of the war”.477 322. From June 2018 onwards, Yemeni armed forces and affiliated groups sought to break the siege on the city by attacking the main Houthi supply routes to al-Hudaydah and Ibb governorates. Despite the opening of a route that led to Aden, humanitarian and commercial access remained restricted due to road conditions and control of main roads, despite attempts to mediate ceasefires and open road access to and from Ta’izz. 478 323. All parties to the conflict carried out arbitrary arrest and detention, and there were reports of numerous cases of enforced disappearances as well as of illegal and secret detention facilities in Ta’izz. Torture and other forms of ill-treatment were reported in detention centres run by the de facto authorities. 324. Intense internal clashes erupted at times during 2018 between different forces fighting alongside the Yemeni armed forces, namely the Abu al-Abbas battalion and alIslah-affiliated groups (including the 22 Mechanized Brigade). In August 2018, an emergency meeting was held between President Hadi and the Governor of Ta’izz, Amin Mahmoud, which resulted in the creation of a committee to end the violence. 479 However, the tensions and clashes continued, worsening in March and April 2019 with allegations of human rights violations including summary executions.480 As part of an agreement reached, in May 2019, the Abu al-Abbas battalion withdrew from the old city, which it controlled, and re-deployed to al-Kadhah front, on the western side of Ta’izz. Competition for influence and power among these different actors aligned with the Yemeni armed forces in Ta’izz has exacerbated the insecurity created by the armed conflict, and hindered improvement of security, rule of law and accountability within the areas under Government control in Ta’izz. These dynamics continued to impede access to justice for victims, including of human rights violations, and their families. Alleged airstrikes by coalition forces 325. On 24 May 2019 in Mawiyah district, in the west of Ta’izz governorate, at approximately 12:20 hrs, around the time of the Friday prayer, an explosion, allegedly as a result of an airstrike, destroyed a fuel station, killing 12 civilians (including seven boys) and injuring two more. 481 Two of the men killed were employees at the fuel station, and the remaining three persons were unidentifiable. The two men injured were also fuel station employees.482 Local residents rushed to the scene, and one witness described seeing the fire YouTube, and other video footage, and WhatsApp; reports from international and national NGOs; official records from local authorities; and reports by international human rights groups. […]”. See https://yemendataproject.org/data.html. 475 OCHA, Yemen Humanitarian Update Covering 19 - 25 February 2018. 476 Confidential Sources on File. 477 Confidential Sources on File. 478 Confidential Sources on File. 479 http://sanaacenter.org/publications/the-yemen-review/6620. 480 During these events reports were received by the Group of Experts of the burning of a hospital and neighbouring houses, abductions and a summary execution. 481 Confidential Sources on File. 482 Confidential Sources on File. 76