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Saudi coalition air strikes kill most civilians in Yemen, Houthis also violate law - U.N.
Damage is seen inside a hospital operated by Medecins Sans Frontieres after it was hit by a Saudi-led coalition air strike in the Abs district of Hajja province, Yemen, August 16, 2016. PHOTO BY REUTERS/Abduljabbar Zeyad
25/08/2016
GENEVA (Reuters) - Air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen are responsible for the largest part of the 3,799 civilians killed so far and it has committed other violations that may contravene international law, the U.N. human rights office said on Thursday.
Houthi rebels and allied forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who rule the capital Sanaa, have carried out rocket and mortar attacks on residential areas and used landmines, it said in a report.
In a statement, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein called for an international investigation into the grave violations, saying a national commission had not worked in pursuing perpetrators.
"The cases monitored by the Office indicate that air strikes were the single largest cause of casualties," the U.N. report said. "The prolonged duration of the conflict has strongly heightened the disastrous risk of a systemic collapse of Yemen."
(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Toby Chopra)
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