US Secretary of State John Kerry has announced a new initiative to restart Yemen peace talks, offering Houthi rebels participation in the country’s unity government in exchange for a transfer of their heavy weapons to a third party.
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In a statement, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein called for an worldwide investigation into all grave violations, saying a national commission had focused mainly on Houthi violations and had not pursued any of the perpetrators.
The rebels, allied with forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, have so far not commented on the plan which Kerry described after meeting with his Gulf counterparts, a British minister and the United Nations peace envoy to Yemen.
It said airstrikes carried out by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen were suspected of causing more than half of the civilian deaths in the time period mentioned, and that the coalition had committed other violations that might contravene global law.
Mr Kerry announced almost 189 million USA dollars (£140 million) in additional humanitarian aid for Yemen, bringing the total amount of United States assistance to more than 327 million dollars (£250 million) since October 2015.
A senior State Department official traveling with Kerry said he was expected to raise USA concerns about civilian casualties in Yemen during his meetings in Saudi Arabia.
The government is battling Iran-backed Huthi rebels and allied forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, who have seized control of large parts of the impoverished country since 2014 and still control swathes of territory including the capital Sanaa.
All in all, Afghani said, the statements made by USA officials serve as a sign of a “political defeat” suffered by the United States, as a victor would never try to bring up baseless and illogical accusations against his opponent.
Last March, a Saudi-led coalition began airstrikes in order to stop Houthi advances and reinstate Hadi to power.
The Houthis, a movement of religious minority Shia Muslims that has the support of many Yemenis, were not involved, nor were there any representatives from the exiled Yemen government.
Asked about civilian casualties Thursday, Jubeir pushed back against any notion that Saudi Arabia represented the oppressor in the conflict.
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Yemen researcher at Human Rights Watch Kristine Beckerle told AP that through its continued arms sales to Saudi Arabia, the U.S. A number of USA politicians have also expressed concern about Washington’s role in the conflict. The contribution will help meet urgent humanitarian needs of the most vulnerable people in the Middle East’s poorest and most food insecure country, as well as Yemeni refugees in neighboring countries.
