As fighting between the Saudis and the Houthi rebels intensifies in Yemen, a video of Riyadh-backed Yemeni forces running over surrendering fighters with armoured vehicles has surfaced on social media and immediately drawn parallels to a video game.
Both the Houthi rebels and the Saudi-backed Yemeni troops have reported heavy casualties while fighting along the Red Sea Coast and close to the city of Taiz. The Saudi-led coalition launched a counteroffensive on Monday to retake all territory held by the Houthis, The Guardian reported. The visuals came as Yemeni forces recaptured key areas around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. In one clip, an armoured vehicle is seen driving over several wounded Houthi fighters who, lying on the ground, had raised their hands. The video has prompted comparisons with the famous video game, Grand Theft Auto (GTA). The clip features similar visuals and settings as GTA. An armoured tank runs over people walking near the sea, deliberately targeting individuals. Many in the comments section compared the original clip to GTA, jokingly saying that Yemen got early access to the new version of the game. The Yemeni soldiers have retaken the strategic port city of Mocha, the town of Dhubab, and other key positions along the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, as per Al Jazeera.
The Geneva Conventions of 1949, ratified by Yemen, forbid violence against combatants out of the fight, including people who have surrendered or been wounded.
Another video shows a group of fighters raising their hands to surrender moments before a vehicle drives over them, with the driver shouting “Allahu Akbar,” reported the Telegraph. “Impossible realism ya Rockstar,” another claimed, referring to the maker of GTA, Rockstar Games.
The three countries signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement in August. In an emergency meeting on Monday, representatives of the three countries noted the recent attacks on Saudi Arabia, particularly those targeting the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. The Houthis were not mentioned by name, as per AFP. It is unclear what role the troops would fill once they are in Saudi Arabia.
The government’s military also stated that a “strategic offensive” has also been launched on Sanaa, Yemen’s capital which has been held by the Houthis since 2014. Turkey and Pakistan have also promised a “rapid deployment” of troops to Saudi Arabia as part of their new mutual defence alliance.
