Archaeological violations in Raymah and Al-Bayda involving Houthi figures.

Arabian Sea Newspaper - Follow-ups

Arab Sea - Yemen - Follow-ups: The General Authority for Antiquities revealed a documented assault on a historical landmark in the Reimah Governorate (western Yemen), behind which are leaders affiliated with the Houthi group, which is internationally classified as a terrorist organization. According to an official statement issued by the Authority, obtained by the "Al-Wehdawi Net" website, an archaeological landmark located in Al-Rabat village in the Dhurhan district - Bilad Al-Ta'am Directorate - was subjected to a random and illegal excavation on Wednesday, July 30, under the pretext of searching for an alleged "treasure" inside the site, with the participation of leading figures in the local authority appointed by the Houthis in the governorate. The Authority stated that the excavation was initiated by a person named Saleh Muhammad Ali Ismail, who submitted the report about the alleged treasure and led the excavation with the participation of the director of the Endowments Office in the governorate, one of the collaborators with the Antiquities Office, in addition to a representative of the local authority, and a number of social figures from the region. The statement explained that the excavation targeted an archaeological room inside the landmark, reaching a depth of two meters, without finding any trace indicating the existence of a treasure or burial of historical value. The operation was stopped after warnings from specialists about the possibility of the collapse of the archaeological building, and the hole was later filled as an emergency measure to preserve the remaining safety of the site. Accordingly, the Authority decided to terminate the contract with the collaborator with the Antiquities Office in the Directorate, Bagwi Ibrahim Abdo Ali, for violating the laws and instructions related to the protection of antiquities. In the same statement, the Authority revealed another incident in Al-Bayda Governorate, where security elements tampered with some decorative elements and historical doors in the Al-Amiriya Mosque and School in the city of Rada', which constitutes a serious violation of registered archaeological landmarks. The head of the Authority sent an official letter to the governor of the governorate to take the necessary measures against those involved and hold accountable those who caused this damage. At the conclusion of the statement, the General Authority for Antiquities called on all citizens and local authorities to cooperate seriously in protecting the Yemeni cultural heritage and to refrain from any random practices or unauthorized interventions that would harm the historical identity of the country. The Authority confirmed that it is continuing to document such violations, and called on those interested and followers to follow its news and updates through its official pages on social media platforms.