Houthis’ monthlong siege on Taiz creating misery for trapped Yemenis

A siege means cutting off a city’s main access routes so people and supplies cannot move freely. In Taiz, the Houthis’ takeover of western areas completely encircled the city. This matters because about 1.5 million residents depend on those routes for essentials and family connections.

The blockade began after the Houthis seized al-Turbah, cutting Taiz’s main artery to Aden and the outside world. Major and secondary roads were closed, while new checkpoints controlled remaining routes. Food, fuel, water and medical supplies could not reach the city normally. Rubbish also accumulated because it could not be transported to landfill outside Taiz.

After 30 days, the United Nations warned of a catastrophe. Prices rose sharply, hurting lower-income Yemenis most. Families were separated, travelers faced delays and danger, and displaced people remained trapped along the Lahj–Taiz road. The crisis will worsen if access remains closed.

The blockade affects the 1.5 million people living in Taiz City, according to the article. It also harms people in rural districts across Taiz governorate. The crisis reaches beyond the city because roads linking surrounding communities to Taiz have been cut.

About 180,000 displaced people are trapped by clashes along the main road connecting Lahj and Taiz. They face the same restrictions on movement and access to supplies. The article also describes families struggling to reach relatives because both main and secondary roads between the countryside and city are blocked.

These figures show that the siege is not limited to one urban population. It affects a large city, rural districts and displaced communities at the same time. As the blockade continues, shortages, rising prices, unsafe travel and family separation can spread across the governorate.

Cutting major roads interrupts the normal delivery of food, water, fuel and medical supplies. Shortages then grow because fewer goods can enter the city. The blockade also prevents rubbish from reaching landfill outside Taiz, leaving waste on the streets. These effects threaten daily life and public health.

Prices rise when supplies and transport become harder to obtain. The article reports that a passenger fare from Aden to Taiz increased from 35 Saudi riyals to 100. The same closure also forced travelers onto rough secondary roads, where checkpoints and fighting caused further delays.

Lower-income Yemenis suffer most because they have less money to absorb higher costs. The United Nations warned of a catastrophe as food and medicine became increasingly scarce. If access remains blocked, shortages, dangerous travel and unaffordable services will continue affecting both city residents and rural communities.

Al-Turbah matters because it sits on Taiz’s main connection with Aden and the outside world. When the Houthis seized the town in the far southwest of Taiz governorate, that route was cut. The closure isolated the city from a major supply and travel corridor.

The road’s importance is practical. It carried passengers, goods and essential supplies between Taiz and areas beyond the governorate. Once the main Hayjat al-Abd–al-Turbah route closed, travelers had to use rough secondary roads. Those alternatives passed through many checkpoints and areas affected by clashes.

The seizure therefore had consequences beyond one town. It helped complete the encirclement of Taiz and disrupted food, fuel, water and medical deliveries. It also made travel slower, more expensive and more dangerous. Continued control of al-Turbah leaves civilians dependent on risky routes and uncertain checkpoint decisions.

The Houthis’ siege developed in stages. They pushed the government out of Sanaa in September 2014 and reached Taiz’s outskirts in 2015. They then besieged the city from the north, east and south. Their recent takeover of Taiz’s western countryside completed the encirclement.

The latest phase began with the seizure of al-Turbah, which cut the city’s main route to Aden and the outside world. With major roads closed, the Houthis controlled movement through alternative routes and checkpoints. Supplies, travelers and family members could no longer move normally.

The siege is part of Yemen’s wider war, which the article dates from 2014. It has affected government forces, the Houthis and civilians across Taiz. The current blockade has lasted 30 days and threatens a city of 1.5 million people, along with rural residents and displaced communities.

When Taiz’s main roads are blocked, civilians can attempt rough secondary roads through the countryside. These routes are not a safe or reliable replacement. They take travelers through areas where fighting may be occurring and where armed checkpoints control passage.

Ahmed’s family used one such route after returning from Aden. They passed nearly 20 newly established Houthi checkpoints. About 15 kilometres before the city entrance, another checkpoint stopped their vehicle, cited clashes and ordered everyone to turn back. The family waited two more days in a rural hotel.

The alternative route therefore shifts the danger rather than removing it. Travelers face uncertainty, extra costs, overcrowded lodging and possible separation from their destination. Ahmed’s family paid 100 Saudi riyals per night at the hotel, while passenger fares had risen to 100 riyals. Continued closures leave civilians with few safe choices.

Road control gives an armed group power because cities depend on outside routes for food, fuel, water, medicine, work and family contact. Closing those routes can isolate a population without occupying every street. It also lets the group influence who may pass and when.

In Taiz, the Houthis closed major and secondary roads and established checkpoints across the western countryside. Travelers were stopped, delayed or ordered to turn back when clashes were reported. Supplies could not reach the city normally, and families struggled to visit relatives. Even rubbish could not be transported to landfill outside the city.

The consequences extend into household finances and social life. Passenger fares increased from 35 to 100 Saudi riyals, while travelers paid for extra nights in rural hotels. Control of access therefore creates shortages, raises prices and separates communities. The longer roads remain closed, the greater the risk of catastrophe.