UN: Saudi Raids on Yemen against Int’l Law

 

Local Editor

According to a UN statement on Saturday, Saudi Arabia’s continued airstrikes on Yemen are against international laws.

’The indiscriminate bombing of populated areas, with or without prior warning, is in contravention of international humanitarian law [IHL],’ a statement by UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, Johannes van der Klaauw, said on Saturday.

 

 

The issue of warnings for raids does not ’absolve’ the Saudis of their IHL obligations to not harm civilians, he noted.

’I call upon all parties to the conflict to observe their duty to protect civilians,’ the UN coordinator further said.

’Many civilians are effectively trapped in Sa’ada as they are unable to access transport because of the fuel shortage. The targeting of an entire governorate will put countless civilians at risk,’ added Van der Klaauw.

According to the latest UN figures, the Saudi military campaign has so far claimed the lives of over 1,400 people and injured close to 6,000 people.

Saudi Arabia began its military aggression against Yemen on March 26 -- without a UN mandate -- in a bid to undermine the Houthi Ansarullah movement and to restore power to the fugitive former president, Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi, who is a close ally of Saudi Arabia.