Saudi Arabian border guards have reportedly killed hundreds of Ethiopian immigrants in just 15 months.

Saudi Arabian ​Border‌ Guards Accused of⁣ Killing Ethiopian⁢ Immigrants

According to a new report ⁣released by Human Rights Watch,‌ Saudi Arabian‌ border guards have been implicated in the deaths of hundreds of Ethiopian ⁤immigrants ⁢seeking refuge in the kingdom between ​March ‌2022 and June 2023. The report⁤ reveals shocking details of⁢ close-range shootings, with‌ women and children among the victims.

A Perilous ⁣Journey

Fleeing conflict in their homeland, ‌hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians have ⁢embarked on a treacherous journey through war-torn Yemen in hopes of reaching the oil-rich land of Saudi Arabia, where‍ they believe better opportunities await. However, upon arrival, they have reportedly encountered a ‌new form of brutality.

“We were fired on repeatedly. ‌I​ saw people killed in a way I have never imagined. I saw 30 killed people on the spot,”

14-year-old Hamdiya recounted to the advocacy group. “I pushed myself​ under a rock and slept ‍there. ​I‍ could feel people ⁢sleeping around ‍me. I realized what I thought were people sleeping around me were actually dead bodies. I woke up and I was alone.”

The dangers of this journey extend beyond the ongoing conflicts in ‌the‌ Horn of Africa ⁤and the Arabian Peninsula. ​Smugglers, taking advantage of desperate immigrants, reportedly dominate the voyages and⁤ commit atrocities along⁣ the way.

The BBC has ‌also ​shed light on the extreme violence and peril faced by immigrants traveling to ⁤Saudi Arabia. Immigrants have shared harrowing‌ accounts of having limbs⁣ severed by gunfire,⁢ encountering lifeless bodies left‌ on the trails, and being shot at while attempting to cross the border into the kingdom.

A Deliberate Escalation

While Human Rights Watch‌ has previously accused Saudi Arabia of killing Ethiopian immigrants, the⁣ new report titled “They Fired on Us⁣ Like Rain” asserts that the documented killings represent a deliberate escalation in both the number and manner of targeted killings.

The report also highlights the use of explosive weapons against⁣ immigrants.​ With the Yemen Civil War raging for nearly ⁣a ⁢decade, violence in‌ the region remains ⁣pervasive, often seen as a proxy conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

A Stain on Foreign Policy

Saudi Arabia,⁢ a crucial​ partner of the United States due⁣ to its‍ control of oil and influence in the Middle East and ‌West Asia, has faced scrutiny for alleged human rights ​abuses in the past. The murder of U.S.​ resident and‍ journalist Jamal‌ Khashoggi, allegedly by Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin ⁢Salman, prompted calls for⁤ the ⁣U.S. to denounce​ the Saudi leader and sever ties with ⁢the kingdom.

However, no such⁣ decision ‍was made, and the two‍ countries continue to maintain a‍ working relationship. Nevertheless, the perceived human rights⁢ abuses by Saudi Arabia cast a significant stain on U.S. foreign policy.

The conflict in⁤ Ethiopia, involving various factions including ethno-regional militias, the federal government,‌ and the Eritrean military, ​has been ongoing ‍since November‍ 2020, according to ‍the Council on Foreign Relations.

According to the U.N.’s International Organization for Migration, over 200,000⁢ people attempt⁢ the dangerous sea crossing from the Horn of Africa to Yemen and then onward to Saudi Arabia each year.