Human rights group Amnesty International is accusing the Saudi-led coalition of war crimes in airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen. The group says hundreds of civilians have been killed in strikes on residential areas. 

Amnesty International looked into 13 airstrikes carried out between May and July by the Saudi-led coalition around the northern Houthi stronghold of Sa’da.

Amnesty’s Rasha Mohamed said 100 civilians, including 59 children, were killed. 

“In one direct airstrike we looked into, and visited the site in July, there was a cluster of nine houses and there were four consecutive airstrikes that were carried out over two hours. Fifty five people were killed, 35 of which were children under the age of 11,” Mohamed said.

Amnesty also claims to have found the remains of cluster munitions banned under international treaties.

No Saudi response

Saudi Arabia did not respond directly to Amnesty’s accusations, but has said in the past that it only targets rebel fighters, and denies using cluster bombs.

“We are asking for all states to first of all suspend, and specifically the United States, their arms transfers to all members of the coalition, given that there are war crimes being committed. And two, for the international community to investigate these war crimes,” said Mohamed.

The United Nations’ human rights body issued a report last month detailing alleged violations of international law by all sides in the conflict. Rupert Colville is the body’s spokesperson.

“The report … does not at any point accuse the coalition forces of deliberately targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, although it does catalogue several specific incidents involving airstrikes which cause large numbers of civilian casualties,” said Colville.

In the six months since April, the United Nations says more than 2,350 civilians have been killed in the conflict. [Read More]

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Source: VOA News: United States