109 civilians killed in coalition raids in Yemen »

Follow-up – IA An official from the United Nations mission in Yemen confirmed that the Saudi-led coalition killed 109 civilians in Yemen in air strikes over the past ten days, including 54 in a crowded market and 14 from one family on a farm. Jamie McGoldrick, the United Nations coordinator in Yemen, described the war as useless and irrational, in an unusual direct criticism of the war the coalition is waging against the Houthi group in Yemen. The Saudi-led coalition condemned the accusations, and said that the information on which they were based lacked credibility. McGoldrick said in a statement, based on preliminary reports from the United Nations Human Rights Office, that “air strikes bombed a crowded market in the village of Al-Hayma in Al-Ta’iziyah District in Taiz Governorate on Tuesday, killing 54 people and wounding 32 others.” According to reports, eight of the dead and six of the injured were children. On the same day, an air strike on a farm in Al-Tuhayta District, Hodeidah Governorate, killed 14 people, and air strikes in other areas killed another 41 civilians and injured 43 over the past ten days. McGoldrick said, “These incidents demonstrate the complete disregard for human life that all parties, including the Saudi-led coalition, continue to show in this irrational war, which has resulted only in the destruction of the country and enormous suffering for its people, who are being punished as part of a useless military campaign carried out by both parties.” He added that warring parties must avoid targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure in accordance with international law. The coalition spokesman said in the statement published by the Saudi Press Agency, “This statement creates a state of continuing doubt about the information and data that the United Nations relies on and challenges its credibility.” The statement added, “While the official spokesman for the coalition forces denounces this biased position, he stresses the need for the United Nations to review the mechanism of humanitarian work and the efficiency of its employees working in Yemen and monitor their performance again.” The United Nations does not have updated estimates of the number of deaths in Yemen, but it said in August 2016, based on medical centers, that at least ten thousand people were killed. The organization says that Yemen is witnessing the worst humanitarian disaster in the world, with about eight million people living on the brink of famine and one million people infected with cholera, in addition to the collapse of the economy in the country, which even before the war was described as one of the poorest Arab countries. Source: Reuters