Local Editor
Human Rights Watch (HRW) Friday exposed multiple violations of the laws of war by the Saudi-led coalition bombing Yemen.
According to HRW, so far they have documented “81 attacks by the Saudi-led coalition that appear to have violated the laws of war, some likely amounting to war crimes. This includes attacks on homes, schools, clinics, markets and mosques.”
HRW’s UK Director, David Mepham, stated that “Given the UK’s huge diplomatic and military support to the Saudis, it has been particularly important to monitor their conduct.”
Despite the Saudi-led coalition’s violations in the war-torn country, Mepham said that the UK government -which provides supports and arms to the coalition- still won’t acknowledge these crimes.
He adds that “bizarrely and illogically, the UK government is contesting through the courts a challenge to the legality of its policy on arms exports to Saudi Arabia, as if the lawfulness of previous Saudi strikes in Yemen is irrelevant to current and future UK policy.”
Mepham urged for a major review of UK policy on arms exports, adding that the future policy should demonstrate “unequivocal adherence to international law.”
The rights group stated that at least 4,773 civilians have been killed and 8,272 wounded since the start of the conflict in March 2015, with coalition airstrikes responsible for the majority of those civilian casualties.
Yet the number of casualties is much higher. More than 12,000 people have been killed and thousands more wounded in the Saudi-led aggression.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by Website Team
