Saudi Arabia has denied statements by Houthi rebels in Yemen that 80 people were killed and 200 wounded in a Saudi-led coalition bombing of a prison in the city of March. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an “immediate, effective and transparent” investigation into the rebels’ claims.
In recent days, the coalition has stepped up attacks in Yemen following rocket and UAV launches against the oil facility in Abu Dhabi, killing three people.
The coalition’s chief spokesman, Brigadier General Turkish al-Malaki, said the rebels’ allegations were “baseless” because the prison was on a list of banned targets for the attack, according to an agreement with the UN Relief and Works Agency.
The Houthis and Iran were quick to condemn the attack, accusing it of war crimes. “After the massacres carried out through the Saudi-American-Emirate aggression against our people, we recommend that foreign companies in the United Arab Emirates leave,” said Yahya Sharia, a spokesman for the Houthi army.