Amid int’l demands for investigation into Dhahyan massacre, coalition admits crime
SANAA, Aug. 10 (YPA) – Remains of some victims were still scattered on Friday morning in Dhahyan market in Saada province, northern Yemen, the day after the Saudi-led coalition warplanes targeted a bus carrying schoolchildren.
A cameraman of AFP (Agence France-Presse) said that he saw on Friday morning remains of human bodies and clothes scattered at the scene of the attack, while the targeted bus turned into a pile of iron. As the movement gradually returned to the street, shops damaged by the bombing were closed.
Head of the health office in Saada province, Yahya Shaim, told AFP that the time of funeral is not yet determined, because there are many scattered human remains. “We are still investigating identities.”
Official statistics:
Later on Friday, the health minister in Sanaa government, Dr. Taha al-Mutawakil, said in a press conference at the air raid place in Dhahyan that “this heinous crime” left to 51 dead, including 40 children, and 79 wounded, including 56 children.
“The death toll in not final because there were still unidentified bodies and missing”, the minister added.
He continued:”There are a number of missing people who have not been identified due to the scattering of the victims’ bodies to the roofs of houses and nearby places around the place of the crime and because of the mixing of the remains.”
At Al-Jamhouri Hospital, where some of the injured were taken for treatment, the emergency department doctor Jamil al-Farah said heading to the blood bank: “Blood is very little … and the injuries are very severe in the brain and pelvis.”
Saudi-led coalition admission:
The Saudi-led military coalition admitted that it’s aircrafts had launched an air strike that hit a bus on Thursday, claiming that the bus was not carrying children but “Houthi fighters,” according to the coalition’s spokesman, Turki al-Maliki
International demands for investigation :
UN Envoy
The UN envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, expressed ,in a statement, about “a big shock due to the terrible tragedy that has claimed the lives of many innocent people.”
“This should urge us all to do further efforts to end the conflict through a comprehensive dialogue among Yemenis,” Griffiths said.
Secretary-General of the United Nations
The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, called for an “independent” investigation into the killing of 29 children in Yemen.
The UN spokesman, Farhan Haq, said that Guterres “calls for an immediate and independent investigation” and urges all parties to the conflict to “avoid (targeting) civilians when launching military operations.”
Russian Foreign Ministry
The Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday expressed its deep concern over the killing of a number of civilians in Yemen as a result of air raids by the Arab coalition, and called for conducting an immediate investigation into the incident in order to prevent the recurrence of such tragedies.
The United States of America
The United States also called for an “in-depth” investigation. “We are very concerned for information about an attack that has killed civilians,” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.
“We call on the Saudi-led coalition to conduct an in-depth and transparent investigation into this incident,” she added.
She stressed that the United States “takes seriously all credible information about civilian casualties.”
European Union
The European Union said in a statement on Friday afternoon that “there is no military solution in a dispute in which the Yemeni people pay the biggest losses.”
The Union reiterated its call for a political solution and an urgent commitment by all parties to focus on resuming negotiations under the leadership of the UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths.
German Foreign Ministry
The German Foreign Ministry condemned on Friday the air attack by Saudi-led coalition warplanes on the schoolchildren bus in Dhayan market in Saada province.
The ministry’s spokesman expressed deep regret for what happened, calling for a comprehensive and independent investigation into such events.
He confirmed at the same time his country’s support to the UN Special Envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, in his efforts to push the parties to the conflict to resume the political process.
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