April 18, 2022
Cited article by Human Rights Watch
HRRC condemns the attacks on civilians in Yemen. Targeting civilians is a war crime and constitutes gross human rights abuses.
Article Summary
In late January 2022, the Saudi and United Arab Emirates-led coalition carried out three separate lethal attacks in Yemen. These resulted in the deaths of approximately 80 civilians, three of which were children. An additional 156 civilians were injured as well. Coalition forces claimed that the attacks were on military sites, a statement that Human Rights Watch says is false, and that these attacks were in response to previous Houthi violence.
The targeting of civilians is a war crime and a violation of human rights. Court investigations will determine whether these actions by the Coalition forces qualify, and future court cases will determine the accountability therein. Future negotiations should include measures to determine the accountability for these events. Notably, the United Nations must not endorse peace agreements that would provide amnesty for war crimes or significant human rights violations.