LONDON: The Amnesty International has accused the Saudi-led coalition of carrying out unlawful airstrikes in Yemen which caused civilian casualties, and called on world to stop arms trading with the coalition members.
In its report published on Wednesday, the organization demanded an investigation into 13 airstrikes conducted by the coalition between May and July in Yemen which killed some 100 civilians including 59 children.
“Damning evidence of war crimes by the Saudi Arabia-led coalition, which is armed by states including the USA, highlights the urgent need for independent, effective investigation of violations in Yemen and for the suspension of transfers of certain arms,” the Amnesty International said.
The report also said that internationally banned cluster bombs were used in the Arab country where a Saudi-led regional coalition launched airstrikes in March 2015 against Iran-backed Shiite Houthi rebels in support of Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.
“This report uncovers yet more evidence of unlawful airstrikes carried out by the Saudi Arabia-led coalition, some of which amount to war crimes. It demonstrates in harrowing detail how crucial it is to stop arms being used to commit serious violations of this kind,” the Amnesty International’s Senior Crisis Response Adviser Donatella Rovera said.
“The USA and other states exporting weapons to any of the parties to the Yemen conflict have a responsibility to ensure that the arms transfers they authorize are not facilitating serious violations of international humanitarian law,” Donatella Rovera said.
