Targeted Attack in Marib: Political Leader Injured, Three Killed

Marib, Yemen – March 18, 2026 – Women Journalists Without Chains has condemned the assassination attempt against Adel al-Ruhani, a senior leader in the Yemeni Islah Party, which took place in Marib governorate on Wednesday, March 18, 2026.

According to information received, al-Ruhani was ambushed in the Kara area of Wadi district, east of Marib city, while returning from Umrah in Mecca. The attack left him critically injured, killed three of his companions, and wounded several others.

Unidentified gunmen traveling in two vehicles intercepted al-Ruhani’s convoy, opened fire, and fled the scene. The organization described the incident as a deliberate and premeditated assault, reflecting a troubling pattern of organized violence targeting political figures and their associates.

The victims were identified as Muhyiddin Arash, Malik Naji Ali al-Nawab, and Shuaib Yusuf al-Hawdali, all members of al-Ruhani’s security detail. Several others were injured, including Hussein Abdu al-Jaafari, head of the Islah Party’s expatriate affairs department. Al-Ruhani remains in critical condition and is receiving intensive medical care.

Women Journalists Without Chains stressed that the attack, carried out in an area under the control of the internationally recognized government, places a clear legal obligation on authorities to initiate a prompt, thorough, and transparent investigation. Such an inquiry must establish the full circumstances of the incident, identify those directly responsible, and determine whether the attack was supported or directed by other actors.

The organization warned that the incident reflects a broader pattern of targeted killings and attempted assassinations, posing a grave threat to civilian safety and undermining the political and social environment. It called for strengthened measures to protect public figures and prevent further attacks of this nature.

The organization emphasized that the assault constitutes a serious violation of the right to life and physical integrity, as protected under international human rights law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The killing of al-Ruhani’s companions amounts to extrajudicial executions, requiring an independent and effective criminal investigation.

Women Journalists Without Chains urged Yemeni authorities to conduct an urgent and transparent investigation, publicly disclose its findings, and take immediate steps to ensure accountability for all those involved—including those who planned, ordered, or facilitated the attack.

In its concluding statement, the organization stressed that this crime represents a grave violation demanding decisive action to secure justice for the victims, hold perpetrators accountable, and end the prevailing climate of impunity.