The Arab Coalition said in a statement on Wednesday that it was committed to ensuring prevention of civilian casualties in its military operations in Yemen, as well as to contributing to civilians' protection in accordance with the international humanitarian law.
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th August, 2018) The Arab Coalition said in a statement on Wednesday that it was committed to ensuring prevention of civilian casualties in its military operations in Yemen, as well as to contributing to civilians' protection in accordance with the international humanitarian law.
"The Arab Coalition supporting legitimacy in Yemen affirms its continued commitment to take all steps to ensure that civilian casualties in its military operations are prevented and that civilians and civilian objects are protected in accordance with the principles of international humanitarian law," the statement, published by Al Arabiya news outlet, read.
The statement is a reaction to the recent report by the UN Group of Regional and International Eminent Experts on Yemen. The 41-page report, published on Tuesday, stipulates that most of the direct civilian casualties from September 2014 to June 2018 in Yemen have been caused by the coalition's airstrikes. The group also accused the Arab Coalition of violating international humanitarian law by imposing naval and air restrictions in Yemen, and of restricting human rights activists' and journalists' freedom of expression.
The Arab Coalition said that it had been cooperating with the group "in an open and transparent manner" since the group's establishment in December 2017.
"The Coalition also facilitated the team's work in visits to Yemen and meeting its requirements, as well as providing information in a comprehensive report to the Office of the High Commissioner which includes answers to all queries submitted to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Yemen," the statement read.
The Saudi-led coalition of mostly Persian Gulf nations engaged in the armed conflict between the Yemeni government and the Houthi rebels in March 2015 and has since then been carrying out airstrikes against Houthis.
According to the United Nations Human Rights Office, the conflict in Yemen has left 6,660 civilians dead and 10,563 injured from March 2015 to August 2018.
