Pro-coalition extremist elements set fire to 600-year-old mosque in Taiz

TAIZ, Feb. 20 (YPA) -Extremist elements affiliated with Islah party loyal to Saudi-led coalition, set fire to the historic Al-Arif Billah Ahmad bin Abdullah Al-Hadhrami 600-year-old mosque in the village of Al-Armah, Jabal Habashi district, Taiz governorate.

Local sources said the extremist elements torched the Mosque after citizens gathered to celebrate the night on the half of Sha’ban in the mosque.

The incident has drawn outrage and condemnation across Yemen.

The General Authority of Awqaf strongly condemned this criminal act, describing it as a blatant assault on religious sanctities and Islamic heritage.

The authority emphasized in its statement that the burning of the mosque is a flagrant violation of the Islamic and human values that call for tolerance, coexistence, and respect for places of worship.

For its part, The General Organization for Antiquities and Museums (GOAM), strongly condemned  the burning of the historic “Al-Arif Billah” Mosque in the Jabal Habashi district of Taiz province.

in a statement , it also described the burning of the mosque as a criminal act that contradicts both religious and moral values, stressing the importance of confronting such attacks on Yemeni heritage.

GOAM called on local communities and security forces to apprehend those responsible and bring them to justice.

It emphasized the need to increase international efforts to combat terrorism in all its forms, while also focusing on protecting cultural and religious heritage for its role in fostering a shared human identity.

@E.Y.M