An investigative committee examining charges that the Saudi-led coalition fighting against Houthi rebels in Yemen has caused civilian casualties largely defended their actions, Reuters reports.
According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the coalition’s investigative committee is independent and composed of representatives from six countries, all members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, in addition to a Yemeni representative.
Spokesman Mohammed al-Mansour, in comments published Friday by the SPA, chronicled eight incidents in the second half of 2015 which rights groups said killed hundreds of civilians. One of those eight alleged mass-casualty air attacks that it reviewed involved incomplete intelligence that led to civilian casualties, the Kingdom said.
“Some achievements were made during the negotiations” but they failed to achieve a peace between the warring sides in Yemen.
The AP reports that among them was a deadly incident in Mokha where 65 civilians, including 10 children, were killed.
Al-Mansour said that the victims died as a result of “unintended bombing based on inaccurate intelligence information.” He recommended that compensation be paid to the victims’ families, according to the AP.
Meanwhile, a confidential UN report has concluded that the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen deliberately bombed a house, killing four children. The report also found that Houthi rebels used civilians as shields to avoid attacks from the coalition.
“The panel has documented violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law committed by the Houthi-Saleh forces, the Saudi Arabia-led coalition and forces affiliated to the legitimate government of Yemen,” said the report presented to the Security Council, which was obtained by the AFP.
The United Nations says the conflict has killed more than 6,400 people and displaced 2.8 million since starting over 16 months ago.
