HRW accuses Saudi Arabia of committing war crimes in Yemen

SANAA, Jan. 13 (YPA) – Human Rights Watch (HRW)has sent new accusations of Saudi Arabia of violating international humanitarian law in its war on Yemen, and of committing war crimes against Yemeni civilians.

In its report on the events of 2021, the HRW said, , Saudi Arabia has committed numerous violations of international humanitarian law in its war on Yemen since March 26, 2015, affirming that at least 8,773 civilians have been killed in the conflict and 9,841 others wounded.

The organization confirmed in its report that most of the civilian casualties in Yemen have been killed as a result of Saudi-led coalition airstrikes on homes, markets, hospitals, schools, and mosques, in additoin some of these attacks can be classified as war crimes.

In September, the UN Group of Eminent International and Regional Experts on Yemen stated that it had “reasonable grounds” that Saudi Arabia was responsible for human rights violations in Yemen, and reiterated its call for the UN Security Council to refer the Yemeni situation to the International Criminal Court.

The report indicated that Saudi Arabia launched a fierce campaign to end the mission of the Group of Eminent Experts, which has not renewed at the September session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.

It added that Saudi Arabia’s continuation of its war on Yemen has exacerbated the existing humanitarian crisis, in light of the coalition’s continued air and sea blockade since March 2015, which led restricting the flow of life-saving goods, and the ability of Yemeni patients to leave for treatment.

AA