Three boys were killed and two others injured in Yemen when an unexploded ordnance (UXO) detonated in the district of Al-Mukha, Taiz governorate, on Tuesday, according to local officials. The children, aged between 11 and 15, were playing near a field when the device exploded.
Details of the Incident
The bomb was reportedly left over from the country's ongoing civil war, which has seen widespread use of landmines and unexploded munitions. The victims were identified as Ahmed Saleh, 12, Mohammed Ali, 14, and Hassan Nasser, 15. Two other boys, aged 13 and 14, were critically injured and taken to a nearby hospital.
Local humanitarian sources confirmed that the area had been previously targeted by airstrikes, and the UXO was likely a cluster munition remnant. The United Nations has documented over 1,200 child casualties from explosive remnants of war in Yemen since 2015, with 2025 seeing a 30% increase compared to the previous year.
Allegations of European Involvement in Conscription
Separately, a report by the Yemeni Human Rights Network (YHRN) alleges that European private military contractors have been involved in the conscription of minors in southern Yemen. The report claims that at least 40 boys under the age of 18 were recruited by a security firm linked to a European country to serve as guards at a base near Aden.
“These children were promised money and education, but instead they were given weapons and deployed to checkpoints,” said YHRN director Fatima al-Harazi. “This is a violation of international law and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.” The European Union has denied any involvement, calling the allegations “baseless.”
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has called for an immediate investigation. “Any recruitment of children is unacceptable and must be stopped,” said UNICEF spokesperson James Elder in a statement.
Impact on the Ground
The incidents highlight the ongoing dangers faced by civilians in Yemen, where a decade-long conflict has killed over 377,000 people, according to the UN. The UXO blast and conscription claims come as peace talks between the Houthi rebels and the internationally recognized government have stalled. Humanitarian organizations warn that the number of child casualties could rise as fighting intensifies in several regions.
