Yemen's Houthi rebels have targeted thousands of educators in war-torn country in the past six years, the Yemeni Teachers Syndicate said on Monday.
The group alleged that the rebels have killed at least 1,579 educators, and wounded 2,642 more, since taking over the capital and other major cities in 2014, a statement marking World Teachers' Day read.
"1,579 teachers and administrators were killed by the Houthis in Yemen between September 2014 and October 2020, including 14 that were killed by torture," Yahya Al-Yinai, the union's media spokesman said.
The rebels injured at least 2,642 by gunfire and other means, with many sustaining permanent disabilities as a result.
The rebels' targeted attacks have prompted more than 20,000 educators to leave their homes to seek safety in government-controlled cities across the country, Al-Yinai said.
More than 621 have also been detained by the rebels, 36 of which have forcibly disappeared, he added.
The comments were made on Monday to mark International Teachers' Day. On the same day, the United Nations called on the rebels in Yemen to resume the payments of some 160,000 teachers in areas under their control.
Thousands of teachers and academics have been left unpaid since 2016, with many resorting to find alternative jobs and sources of income in a bid to survive the dire financial and economic conditions.
A further delay in salary payments could see the collapse of Yemen's education sector, the statement by the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF and UNESCO, said.
