Saudi refuses support for UN probe into war crimes

Saudi Arabia rejected a request by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Bin Al-Hussein to form an international commission of inquiry into war crimes committed in Yemen, reported the Arab news agency Al-Manar.

According to reports, the Saudi Minister of Culture and Information Adel Tarifi said: “Riyadh does not support calls by the High Commissioner to form an international investigation committee.”

He added that the work of the Yemeni National Commission of Inquiry, which was set up by the President of Yemen, Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi, to probe into human rights violations was sufficient and a new inquiry was not required.

The Human Rights Council of the United Nations last week refused to open an independent investigation into war crimes in Yemen, demanding instead a national commission of inquiry to investigate attacks on hospitals and the killing of civilians.