The announcement of the new peace plan and the humanitarian assistance came the same day that a United Nations report found that airstrikes carried out by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen are responsible for the majority of civilians killed in the country’s civil war.
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The agency, SABA, which is under control of the Shiite rebels known as Houthis, reported on Friday, August 26 that the airstrikes destroyed two houses located in the district of Baqam in the city of Saada – a Houthi stronghold. Rescue efforts were delayed due to fears of subsequent strikes as fighter jets continued to fly over the same district, it added. Some of the wounded are in critical condition, which may lead to a higher death toll.
In a statement, Zeid’s office said he “called on the worldwide community to establish an global, independent body to carry out comprehensive investigations in Yemen”, noting in particular “challenges” faced by the national panel set up under President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi – notably, security concerns.
Iran on Friday denied United States accusations it has delivered missiles to Yemeni rebels, retorting it was USA support for a Saudi-led coalition backing the government that had prolonged the conflict. That clearly has not worked, Zeid says.
KELEMEN: The U.N. human rights official says the main thing is to ensure that these attacks stop happening. Some 3 million people have also been displaced inside the Arab world’s poorest country.
US Secretary of State John Kerry was holding talks with his Gulf counterparts and a British minister in Saudi Arabia on Thursday on the conflicts in Yemen, Syria and Libya.
Earlier this month, peace talks in Kuwait collapsed, after three months of trying to making progress.
Yemen researcher at Human Rights Watch Kristine Beckerle told AP that through its continued arms sales to Saudi Arabia, the U.S.
“We now encourage the Houthis and their supporters to back this plan”, Kerry said, referring to Iran, the main ally of the Shia rebels that have controlled the country’s capital city Sanaa since September 2014.
He said details of the initiative would be finalised by the “parties themselves”. Instead, the announcement of a new plan was greeted by rocket attacks from Al Houthi forces that struck well over the border, hitting a power station in Saudi Arabia.
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Asked about civilian casualties Thursday, Jubeir pushed back against any notion that Saudi Arabia represented the oppressor in the conflict. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef showed Kerry the photos, which have not been made public. A bipartisan group of senators is moving to block a $1.15 billion sale of U.S. tanks to the kingdom, citing concerns over human rights and the Saudi-led war in Yemen.
