A team of United Nations human rights experts have accused the U.S.-backed, Saudi-led coalition of committing possible war crimes in Yemen, including the bombing and shelling of schools, hospitals and markets. The report comes just days after the U.S.-backed coalition bombed a camp for civilians displaced by war, killing 31 people, including 22 children. Charles Garraway, one of the authors of the U.N. report, spoke earlier today.
Charles Garraway: “Individuals in the government of Yemen and the coalition, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, may have conducted attacks in violation of the principles of distinction, proportionality and/or precautions, which may amount to war crimes, and also acts that may amount to war crimes including cruel treatment and torture, outrages upon personal dignity, rape and conscripting or enlisting children under the age of 15.”
The U.N. report also accused the Houthi rebels of committing possible war crimes, including arbitrary detention, torture, ill treatment and the recruitment of child soldiers. The U.N. report on Yemen comes as the Pentagon is threatening to reduce military and intelligence support to Saudi Arabia following an airstrike earlier this month on a Yemeni school bus that killed 40 children.