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Amnesty & HRW Criticize UN for Removing Saudi-led Coalition from Blacklist

2016-06-09 - 11:44 p

Bahrain Mirror (BBC): Human Rights groups strongly criticized the United Nations' decision to remove the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen from its blacklist of countries and armed groups that violate child rights in conflicts.

Amnesty International slammed what it described as the "shameful pandering" to the Saudi-led coalition. Meanwhile, Human Rights First said that the UN "capitulated to Saudi pressure".

Yemen suffers from political and security chaos due to the fighting taking place between the Houthis and supporters of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, on the one hand, and forces loyal to the internationally recognized President Abd- Rabbu Mansour Hadi, on the other.

Saudi Arabia has been leading a military coalition that launches raids on Hadi's opponents since March 2015, after the Houthis took control over the Yemeni capital, Sana'a and other cities in the country.

The war has left some 6,400 people dead, with more than 80 percent of the population in desperate need of humanitarian aid, according to the UN.

In its annual report on "Children in Armed Conflict" published Thursday, the United Nations said that the coalition was responsible for 60 percent of the 785 children killed in Yemen last year.

The coalition was responsible for killing 510 and wounding 667, according to the report, which also said the coalition carried out half the attacks on schools and hospitals.

Saudi Arabia has protested against the report, expressing its disappointed at the inclusion which was based on "inaccurate and incomplete" information.

The UN has removed the Saudi Arabia-led coalition from the blacklist and said that its decision is temporary, until reviewing the accusations enlisted in its report.

The United Nations declared a truce in April to pave the way for peace talks; however ,both of the conflicting sides accuse one another of violating that truce.

International human rights organizations and groups accuse Saudi Arabia and the coalition it led in Yemen of violating international law.

Amnesty International has already called on all the states that support the coalition, including the US and UK, to stop arms sales that are being used to violate international law.

Arabic Version


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