Local Editor

The United States dodges responsibility for Saudi airstrikes that kill Yemeni civilians, the Huffington Post said in a report on Sunday.

According to the report by Huffington Post, although the US tries to distance itself from the rising civilian casualties in Yemen, it is at the same time providing targeting assistance to the Saudi-led coalition that has been bombing Yemen for the past six months.

The report points to a ’discrepancy’ in the comments of US officials on the war on Yemen where a senior administration official is quoted as saying, "There is a clear distinction between logistical and intelligence support, which we have provided, and taking part in targeting decisions, which we do not do". 

Meanwhile, it quotes White House spokesman Ned Price as saying in a statement on Friday night that, "Nevertheless, we have consistently reinforced to members of the Coalition the imperative of precise targeting".

The remarks seem to contradict earlier reports where US Central Command officials said they provide "targeting assistance" to the Saudi-led coalition.

A recent Congressional Research Service report said that the US sold $90 billion worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia between 2010 and 2014, including fighter aircraft, helicopters, missile defense systems, missiles, bombs and armored vehicles.

The report noted that the US has supplied the Saudis with American-made weaponry for its military intervention in Yemen and has shared intelligence to support Riyadh’s targeting decisions.

In late March, Saudi Arabia launched its aerial aggression against Yemen by carrying out airstrikes against the country. The fatal military aggression, which has not received a United Nations [UN] mandate, aims to undermine the Houthi Ansarullah movement and restore power to Saudi ally and fugitive former Yemeni president, Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi.

According to the spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Rupert Colville, the total number of civilian casualties in the six months since 26 March reaches 7,217, including 2,355 killed and 4,862 wounded.