Children in Yemen Front Line Risk Snipers and Mortars to Attend School
Children Face Dangerous Journey to School
Children living near the front line in Yemen’s Taiz province are continuing to attend school despite the threat of sniper fire, mortar attacks and renewed fighting.
For 10-year-old Rafeef, going to school means making a journey that would be considered extremely dangerous for most children. She and her younger brother leave home early each morning wearing their school uniforms and walk uphill towards their classroom.
The school sits near a heavily contested area in Taiz, south-western Yemen. Government-held territory is on one side, while Houthi positions are located across the valley.
Rafeef has said she is frightened as she walks towards the school because she has to turn her back towards sniper positions.
School Surrounded by Conflict
The school is located close to what has effectively become a no-man’s land. Teachers and students remain exposed to the dangers created by the fighting.
A teacher at the school, Abdel Raqeeb al-Obaidi, said the situation could change suddenly while students are inside classrooms or travelling through the area.
He also showed journalists military positions and sniper locations on surrounding mountains. A security adviser warned visitors to move inside because they could be visible to fighters.
The risks have become part of everyday life for people living in the area.
Yet many families continue to send their children to school because education offers hope for a better future.
Rafeef, for example, dreams of becoming a doctor.
Mortar Attacks Have Already Injured Children
The dangers facing children are not only a distant possibility.
Rafeef recalled a mortar attack near her home two years ago. She and her brother were inside when shrapnel entered the house. She suffered a broken arm and still has a scar from the incident.
More recently, another mortar attack killed a three-year-old boy named Ahmed in Taiz.
The child was with his father at a mechanic’s shop when a mortar struck the area. Shrapnel entered Ahmed’s body and fatally injured him.
The incident highlights the risks faced by civilians as fighting intensifies around Taiz.
Fighting Intensifies Around Taiz
Taiz has been one of Yemen’s major battlegrounds since the country’s civil war escalated.
The latest fighting has increased fears among residents. Houthi forces have made gains in several areas, while Saudi-backed government forces have launched counteroffensives.
Reuters reported that government forces recently carried out airstrikes against Houthi targets in Taiz province. The renewed fighting has also affected roads and civilian movement.
The wider conflict has also affected thousands of families. The United Nations has warned of rising civilian casualties, displacement and attacks affecting essential services.
Education Under Pressure
Yemen’s education system has suffered years of damage because of the conflict.
Recent reporting indicates that millions of children are currently out of school. Schools have been damaged or destroyed, while others have been converted into shelters for displaced families.
Some children are now studying in temporary locations, including outdoor classrooms, as communities try to keep education going despite the lack of buildings and supplies.
For children living near front lines, however, simply reaching school can be one of the greatest challenges.
Children Continue to Hope
Despite the danger, Rafeef does not want to stop attending school.
She says she enjoys seeing her friends and learning new subjects. For her family, education is also seen as a path towards a safer and better future.
Her determination reflects the struggle of many Yemeni children who continue to pursue education despite violence around them.
As fighting continues in Taiz and other parts of Yemen, schools and families face an uncertain future. For children like Rafeef, however, the daily journey to school remains a powerful sign that education and hope have survived even in the middle of war.
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