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United Nations condemns airstrike on Yemeni hospital

The conflict in Yemen pits an internationally-recognized government backed by a Saudi-led coalition against the Shiite Houthi rebels, who captured the capital, Sanaa, in September, 2014.

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Continuing cross-border strikes by Arab coalition forces and Iran-backed Houthi rebels in northern Yemen have killed almost 50 people since Saturday.

The coalition began the bombing campaign in March a year ago after Shiite Huthi rebels seized large parts of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa.

It was the highest reported number of civilian casualties in the kingdom’s south since a Saudi-led coalition intervened 17 months ago in Yemen.

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U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned that attack, calling for an investigation.

MSF Yemen confirmed on Twitter that the Abs hospital was “hit by airstrikes at 15:45 (12:45 GMT)”. The Saudi-led coalition, backing the government, commenced airstrikes in March 2015.

Earlier this month, the assessment team said it acknowledged “shortcomings” in two of eight cases it investigated of air strikes on civilian targets in Yemen.

A hospital in Saada was hit by a projectile this January, killing six people.

The hospital has been supported by the charity since July 2015, and since then more than 4,600 patients have received treatment at the facility.

Saudi Arabia said the school it targeted was a “training camp” for child soldiers, suggesting it was not the coalition’s responsibility that children were killed.

“The closure effectively seals Yemen off from the rest of the world at a time when half the population is malnourished and hospitals urgently require more medicine and medical supplies”, Syma Jamil of the Norwegian Refugee Council said.

“Hospitals and medical personnel are explicitly protected under global humanitarian law and any attack directed against them, or against any civilian persons or infrastructure, is a serious violation of worldwide humanitarian law”, Ban said in a statement.

On August 4 the coalition acknowledged “shortcomings” in two out of eight cases it investigated of strikes on civilian targets in Yemen that the United Nations has condemned.

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The aid group also wrote that the hospital’s Global Positioning System coordinates had repeatedly been shared battleground with all sides of the conflict. Both the USA and Britain are aiding the Saudi-led coalition which have been criticised for targeting places commonly used by civilians.

Doctors Without Borders