ASIA/YEMEN - Kidnapping and torture of migrants released by military raids

Sana'a (Agenzia Fides) - The Yemeni army has launched a crackdown on illegal trafficking in the north of the country where migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and refugees from the Horn of Africa are often held captive and tortured by criminal gangs seeking ransom. In the last four weeks, in the northern city of Haradh, near the border with Saudi Arabia, thanks to a military incursion 1,620 migrants, including women and children were freed. The majority, victims of human trafficking, forced labor and slavery, are at the hospital Al-Mazraq managed by the NGO Doctors Without Borders. The DWB doctors have reported severe signs of violence on these people, nails torn and beatings. In 2012 about 107 thousand people, mainly from Ethiopia reached Yemen and, until now, already at least 30,000 have arrived. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 03/05/2013)