Muammar Al-Eryani, Yemen’s Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism, has called on the international community, the United Nations, and its special envoy to Yemen to condemn the Houthi militia’s actions of flooding the country with lethal pesticides.
These actions, which Al-Eryani labels as heinous crimes, pose severe risks to the lives of millions of Yemenis and demand immediate classification of the Houthis as a terrorist organization.
In a press statement released by the Yemeni News Agency, Al-Eryani discussed the “scandal involving the import of expired and internationally banned agricultural pesticides by companies owned by influential leaders of the Iran-backed Houthi terrorist militia, facilitated by the Houthis, into areas under their forceful control.”
Al-Eryani added that documented evidence confirms the Houthis have, since their coup against the state, introduced significant quantities of poisonous and carcinogenic pesticides into Yemen.
These include substances such as mancozeb, methyl bromide, and the pesticide Dursban, which have led to an increase in cancer cases and other chronic diseases in areas under their control, along with catastrophic environmental impacts on soil, livestock, and groundwater.
He pointed out that these documents reveal the Houthis, aiming for profit and resource augmentation, have introduced over 90 types of deadly agricultural pesticides into the markets of areas they control by force.
More than 120 tons of internationally banned pesticides were detained at specific checkpoints and released following directives from senior Houthi leadership.
Al-Eryani’s urgent plea emphasizes the need for international action to dry up the sources of these harmful substances and to support the legitimate government in restoring stability and security across Yemen.