Geneva, September 8 (Anadolu Agency): UN experts have accused Yemen’s coalition government, the Southern Transitional Council, and de facto authorities of committing acts that may amount to war crimes. There is clear evidence showing that the people have been subjected to atrocious crimes, the group said on Wednesday
The Eminent Experts on Yemen said they were issuing their report as the Yemen conflict moves into its seventh year “against the backdrop of an intolerable lack of political will towards its peaceful resolution.”
There are blatant violations of International Humanitarian Law & Human Rights Law, some of which may amount to a war crime,” Ardi Imseis, a group member, said at a UN news briefing.
“As we’ve said before, there are no clean hands in this conflict. The government of Yemen, the Southern Transitional Council, and members of the coalition, particularly Saudi Arabia and the UAE.”
He said the group will present the report to the UN Human Rights Council, which begins a month-long session next Monday.
Since the beginning of the year, hostilities in Yemen have reportedly killed or injured more than 1,200 civilians, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
“The report reveals irreparable harm to children, including recruitment into armed forces or groups, and their use in hostilities by parties and through military operations, jeopardizing their lives and access to other rights, including their right to education,” said Imseis.
Yemen has been beset by violence and chaos since 2014, when Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including the capital Sanaa.
The crisis escalated in 2015 when a Saudi-led coalition, of which the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a member, launched a devastating air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi territorial gains.
According to the UN OCHA, the conflict has claimed more than 233,000 lives.
