Saudi-led coalition referred UN report to legal team

A woman sprays a painting on the wall of University of Sana’a to react to the ongoing war in the country in Sana’a, Yemen on 15 March, 2017 [Mohammed Hamoud/Anadolu Agency]

The Saudi-led military coalition fighting the Houthi group in Yemen has referred a United Nations report accusing it of human rights abuses to its legal team for review, a spokesman said yesterday.

The coalition will announce the conclusions of the review after it is completed, he said.

Yesterday an expert UN panel said air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition in the war in Yemen have caused heavy civilian casualties and some may amount to war crimes.

READ: UN calls for impartial investigation in Yemen

Coalition forces have imposed severe restrictions on Red Sea ports and Sanaa airport, depriving Yemenis of vital supplies, which may also constitute international crimes, the experts added.

While United Arab Emirates (UAE) personnel and proxy forces which are part of the coalition have raped detainees and migrants, they said.

Saudi quagmire in Yemen - Cartoon [Latuff/MiddleEastMonitor]

Saudi quagmire in Yemen – Cartoon [Carlos Latuff/MiddleEastMonitor]

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