TAIZ — Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC) has strongly condemned the assassination of Ms. Iftihan Mohammed Ahmed Al-Mashhari, Director of the Cleanliness and Improvement Fund in Taiz Governorate, and accused local authorities of failing to protect her despite documented threats.

Al-Mashhari was shot dead on Thursday morning, September 18, 2025, when gunmen opened fire on her car at the Sinan Roundabout in central Taiz. WJWC said the attack was “a horrific crime” that highlights the worsening security breakdown in the city, which has long been at the epicenter of Yemen’s conflict.

 According to the group, Al-Mashhari had formally reported threats to her life, prompting the governorate leadership to issue a directive instructing police to act. No protective measures were taken, however, which WJWC said amounted to gross negligence and may have enabled the crime.

 The organization held Taiz’s security services directly responsible for their inaction, warning that repeated failures to prosecute such crimes have entrenched a climate of impunity. “This culture of impunity emboldens perpetrators and threatens the very fabric of social peace,” WJWC said.

The group called for an urgent and independent investigation to identify and prosecute the gunmen and those who ordered the killing, stressing that transparency is essential to restoring public trust. It also urged the government to adopt stronger protections for women in public life, noting that female officials remain especially vulnerable to intimidation and violence.

WJWC said the assassination of Al-Mashhari was not only a violation of international human rights standards but also a dangerous precedent that underscores the fragility of governance in Taiz. Her killing is a stark reminder of the escalating security chaos that threatens both state institutions and civic leaders, the statement added.