Pentagon Should Probe US Involvement In Civilian Casualties In Yemen - Congressman

Pentagon Should Probe US Involvement in Civilian Casualties in Yemen - Congressman

The Department of Defense (DoD) should open an investigation into the US military's involvement in attacks in Yemen that have led to multiple civilian casualties, US Congressman Ted Lieu wrote in a letter to the Pentagons Acting Inspector General.

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th August, 2018) The Department of Defense (DoD) should open an investigation into the US military's involvement in attacks in Yemen that have led to multiple civilian casualties, US Congressman Ted Lieu wrote in a letter to the Pentagons Acting Inspector General.

"The Coalition has repeatedly hit civilian targets," said the letter, which was released on Tuesday. "I request that you initiate an investigation to determine the risk that DoD personnel supporting Coalition operations in Yemen are violating DoD regulations."

Lieu said he remains concerned that the United States is putting its soldiers in "ethical and legal jeopardy" and possibly involving them in war crimes.

The lawmaker noted that the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2019 allocates resources for a review of the actions of US Armed Forces and their partners in Yemen. But the legal complexity of the process and President Donald Trump administration's inaction on the matter underscore the need for an independent probe, the letter said.

Lieu asked the Pentagon's IG to examine officials linked to US weapons sales to Saudi Arabia, because these arms could have been used in attacks on Yemeni civilians.

The congressman's letter comes after the Saudi-led coalition last week carried out an airstrike on a school bus in Yemen that killed dozens of civilians, mostly children.

The Saudi-led coalition has been conducting airstrikes against the rebels since 2015 while also organizing a massive sea blockade of the country, with millions of Yemenis suffering from hunger and lacking access to fresh water, according to Human Rights Watch.