Paris-based MSF on Thursday accused the coalition of “indiscriminate bombings” and said it had lost confidence in the alliance’s ability to prevent fatal attacks on its facilities.
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The Monday airstrike hit an MSF-supported facility in Abs, in Yemen’s Hajjah province, killing a total of 19 people.
Saudi Arabian-led coalition bombers performed four air strikes 300 meters (328 yards) away from where the march took place, killing three Houthi fighters and injuring another three.
MSF said it had met with officials from the Saudi-led coalition and shared Global Positioning System coordinates of the hospital it operates in with parties involved in the conflict but aerial bombings had continued.
“Coalition officials repeatedly state that they honor the worldwide humanitarian law, yet this attack shows a failure to control the use of force and to avoid attacks on hospitals full of patients”, it said.
MSF said it had shared the hospital’s Global Positioning System coordinates with all parties involved in the conflict yet itsfacilities have come under attack.
“We are seeking urgent discussions with MSF to understand how we can work together to resolve this situation”.
The clashes, which took place near the Saudi-Yemen border, led to the killing of almost 70 Houthi militias by Saudi forces. We greatly value the work MSF is doing for the people of Yemen under hard circumstances. The Arab coalition, which includes the UAE, joined the conflict in March 2015 to restore Mr Hadi to power.
The conflict has killed at least 6,400 people and displaced almost 2.5 million, prompting rising global calls for the coalition to halt bombing and the United States to withdraw intelligence and air-refueling support. The hospitals will continue to be manned by local workers and volunteers, MSF said.
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The demonstration – one of the biggest in Yemen since the civil war broke out a year ago – took place as the Saudi-led coalition backing exiled President Abd-Rabbou Mansour Hadi stepped up air strikes and fighting on the ground intensified.
