The pro-Iranian Houthi militia has stepped up its repressive actions against Yemenis in areas that fall under its control amid international warnings of increased civilian casualties from sniper fire and indiscriminate attacks by the insurgents. A Yemeni human rights report issued by the Association of Abductees’ Mothers accused the Houthis of committing more than 1,000 violations in January alone. The Association said that it has documented about 1,086 human rights violations in the past month, ranging from killings, physical assaults, kidnappings, raids, looting of public and private funds. Insurgents have committed 50 crimes and caused 61 injuries, in addition to carrying out a physical assault, an explosion and house demolitions, according to the report, a copy of which was seen by Asharq Al-Awsat. It also documented the shelling of 24 houses, 78 kidnappings, 25 raids in addition to 18 looting incidents. The human rights association has documented two cases where Houthis looted relief aid in the same month as well as 821 cases of job exclusion and salary cuts, the report said. It pointed out that 23 deaths were documented due to shelling of populated areas, 16 cases in Taiz province, two in al-Bayda province, two in Khokha directorate another two in Lahj, and one case in Nahm directorate in Sanaa. The report revealed that it documented five cases in which Houthi snipers killed citizens, four of them in Taiz and one in Qubaytah directorate in Lahj province. It said three civilians were killed by landmines planted by the Houthis, two in al-Baydah province, one in Ma’rib, and four were shot dead in Hajjah, Sanaa and Ibb. On the other hand, the Houthi militia detained a few days ago in Sanaa a top businessman. The insurgents raided his businesses in an attempt to force him to give up some of his properties to a pro-militia leader.