Riyadh, March 30, 2022, SPA -- Official Spokesman of the Joint Incidents Assessment Team (JIAT) in Yemen Legal Counsellor Mansour Al-Mansour refuted a number of claims raised by global bodies and international organizations on errors allegedly committed by the Coalition Forces to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen during their military operations in Yemen. In a press conference held at the Armed Forces Officers Club in Riyadh today, Al-Mansour reviewed the results of assessing four incidents included in those claims as follows: "A statement issued by the Joint Incidents Assessment Team (JIAT) regarding the allegation that Coalition Forces targeted (A.A.Sh. house) in (Tharah) village in (Mawiah) directorate of (Taiz) governorate on (14/10/2015). With regard to what was stated in the eighth periodic report on the work of the National Commission of Inquiry into allegations of human rights violations in Yemen from (01/08/2019) to (31/07/2020) which included that at (11:00) p.m. on (14/10/2015) Coalition Forces targeted the house of (A.A.Sh.) in the village of (Tharah) in the center of (Mawiah) directorate of (Taiz) governorate. JIAT vetted the incident, and reviewed all documents, including air tasking orders, daily mission schedule, mission execution procedures, after mission reports, satellite images, open sources, Coalition Forces rules of engagement, provisions and principles of International Humanitarian Law and its customary rules, and after assessment of evidences, JIAT found that the claimed (house) is located in a (specific) coordinates, in (Tharah) village in (Mawiah) directorate of (Taiz) governorate, (32) km away from (Taiz) city. By studying the air missions carried out by the Coalition Forces on (14/10/2015), which is the date of the claim, JIAT found that the Coalition Forces did not carry out any air missions in (Tharah) village in (Mawiah) directorate of (Taiz) governorate, and that the closest military target the Coalition Forces dealt with was (18.5) kms away from the (house) of the claim. By studying the daily mission schedule carried out by the Coalition Forces one day before and one day after the date of the claim, JIAT found the following: 1. On (13/10/2015) the day before the claimed date, Coalition Forces did not carry out any air missions in (Tharah) village in (Mawiah) directorate of (Taiz) governorate. 2. On (15/10/2015) the day after the claimed date, Coalition Forces did not carry out any air missions in (Tharah) village in (Mawiah) directorate of (Taiz) governorate. By Comparing the allegation with the air mission carried out on the day of the claim, JIAT found the following: 1. The timing difference between the task carried out by the Coalition Forces and the timing of the claim, where the time of the task carried out was at (10:45) a.m., while the time given by the claim was at (11:00) p.m. 2. The location in the claim does not correspond to the military target of the air mission carried out. In light of that, JIAT found that Coalition Forces did not target the house of (A.A.Sh.) in the village of (Tharah) in (Mawiah) directorate of (Taiz) governorate on (14/10/2015) as claimed. A statement issued by the Joint Incidents Assessment Team (JIAT) regarding the allegation that Coalition Forces targeted (Burkan Health Center) in (Razih) directorate of (Sa'da) governorate on (07/05/2015). With regard to what the JIAT observed in the open sources about the report issued by Doctors for Human Rights on (March 2020), that on (07/05/2015) Coalition aircraft bombed (Burkan Health Center) in (Razih) directorate of (Sa'da) governorate, destroying the building's doors, windows and outer wall, the centre was closed at the time of the attack, and no casualties were reported. JIAT vetted the incident, and reviewed all documents, including air tasking orders, daily mission schedule, mission execution procedures, after mission reports, satellite images, open sources, the website of the National Information Center in Yemen which contains the health centers and hospitals in Yemen, Coalition Forces rules of engagement, provisions and principles of International Humanitarian Law and its customary rules, and after assessment of evidences, JIAT found that (Burkan village) is located in (Razih) directorate, west of (Sa'da) governorate, and no specific coordinate for (Burkan Health Center) was provided by the claim, by searching in the official Yamani websites, including the website of the National Information Center in Yemen, which contains the health centers and hospitals in Yemen, and in the open sources, JIAT could not find the location of the (Burkan Health Center). By studying the air missions carried out by the Coalition Forces on (07/05/2015), which is the date of the claim, JIAT found that the Coalition Forces did not carry out any air missions in (Razih) directorate of (Sa'da) governorate of the claim, and that the closest military target the Coalition Forces dealt with is located in (Shada) directorate, (6500) meters away from (Burkan village). By studying the daily mission schedule carried out by the Coalition Forces one day before and one day after the date of the claim, JIAT found the following: 1. On (06/05/2015) the day before the claimed date, Coalition Forces did not carry out any air missions in (Burkan village). 2. On (08/05/2015) the day after the claimed date, Coalition Forces did not carry out any air missions in (Burkan village). In light of that, JIAT found that Coalition Forces did not target (Burkan Health Center) in (Razih) directorate of (Sa'da) governorate on (07/05/2015) as claimed. A statement issued by the Joint Incidents Assessment Team (JIAT) regarding the allegation that Coalition Forces carried out an airstrike in (Al-Mas'afa) village in (Al-Hazm) directorate of (Al-Jouf) governorate on (15/07/2020). With regard to what was observed by (JIAT) in the media regarding the claim that an air strike carried out by Coalition Forces on (15 July, 2020) in (Al-Hazm) directorate of (Al-Jouf) governorate, resulting in civilian casualties, and the statement issued by the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen on (16 July, 2020), regarding an air strike on (15 July, 2020), in (Al-Mas'afa) village in (Al-Maraziq) area, east of (Al-Hazm) city in (Al-Jouf), northern Yemen. JIAT vetted the incident, and reviewed all documents, including air tasking orders, daily mission schedule, mission execution procedures, after mission reports, video recordings of the executed mission, satellite images, open sources, JIAT visit to the related field units, JIAT meeting with related personnel from inside Yemen and with personnel related to the executed military operation, provisions and principles of International Humanitarian Law and its customary rules, and after assessment of evidences, JIAT found that (Al-Mas'afa) is a tiny village located in southern part of (Al-Jouf) governorate, and is (47) kms away from (Al-Hazm) city, the capital of (Al-Jouf) governorate, and it was found that during the ongoing clashes between the Surface Forces and Al-Houthi armed militia in (AL-ghariqah) valley in (Al-Hazm) directorate of (Al-Jouf) governorate, the command of the supported force requested close air support mission (CAS) on (15/07/2020), on a target (a vehicle carrying fighter elements of Al-Houthi armed militia) in (AL-ghariqah) valley in (Al-Hazm) directorate of (Al-Jouf) governorate, therefore Coalition Forces carried out an air mission on a legitimate military target the (vehicle), using one guided bomb that hit its target, also during the ongoing clashes, vehicles were observed transporting fighter elements of Al-Houthi armed militia from the area of the ongoing clashes in (AL-ghariqah)Valley heading to (two buildings) located on the edge of (Al-Mas'afa) village, near the front line of the area of clashes, where ground sources confirmed that civilians were evacuated from (Al-Mas'afa) village, the field commander of the supported force also confirmed that (Al-Mas'afa) village has been evacuated of civilians. The degrees of verification were available through the ground sources that observed the military target ( a vehicle transporting fighter elements of Al-Houthi armed militia) in (AL-ghariqah) Valley, and by uav monitoring operations, which observed vehicles transporting fighter elements of Al-Houthi armed militia from the area of the ongoing clashes heading to (two buildings) on the edge of (Al-Mas'afa) village, based on rule (16) of customary international humanitarian law, which is considered to be a legitimate military target, that achieves a concrete, direct and certain military advantage, as the legal protection of the civilian objects (two buildings) lost, for using it to contribute effectively to military actions based on Article (52) of the First Additional Protocol of the Geneva Conventions and rule (8) of customary international humanitarian Law. Accordingly, the Coalition Forces on (15/07/2020), targeted (fighter elements of Al-Houthi armed militia inside two buildings), on the edge of (Al-Mas'afa) village in (Al-Hazm) directorate of (Al-Jouf) governorate, using two guided bombs that hit their target. The Coalition Forces have taken the possible precautions to avoid accidental loss or damage to civilian and civilian objects, or in any case, minimize it to the lowest possible, during the planning and execution of the military operation through the following: 1. Confirmation of ground sources and the field commander of the supported force that civilians were evacuated from (Al-Mas'afa) village. 2. Using guided bombs which commensurate with the size of the military targets. 3. Ensuring no civilian at the military target site before and during the targeting. based on article (57) of the First Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions, and rules (15) and (17) of customary international humanitarian law. JIAT specialists studied the satellite images, and what was published in the media, the following was found: 1. The military target (a vehicle carrying fighters belonging to Al-Houthi armed militia) is located in a valley, in an area free of civilian objects. 2. The military target (fighter elements of Al-Houthi armed militia inside two buildings) is located on the edge of (Al-Mas'afa) village 3. Photos and videos posted in open sources show that the two buildings are traditional (built of clay). JIAT specialists studied the video recordings of the executed mission on the (two buildings) the following was found: 1. No civilian movements before and during the targeting. 2. Large explosion was seen (larger than the explosion of the bomb itself) during the targeting of one of the buildings. In light of that: JIAT found the following: The procedures taken by Coalition Forces, in dealing with the (a vehicle carrying fighter elements of Al-Houthi armed militia) in (AL-ghariqah) valley, and (fighter elements of Al-Houthi armed militia inside two buildings) in (Al-Mas'afa) village in (Al-Hazm) directorate of (Al-Jouf) governorate, were correct and in accordance with the International Humanitarian Law and its customary rules. The inaccuracy of what was confirmed that civilians were evacuated from (Al-Mas'afa) village, as civilians were later found inside one of the buildings. JIAT recommends the following: Accountability of the field commander of the supported force, for inaccurate information that the building in (Al-Mas'afa) village was evacuated of civilians at the time of the targeting. Coalition States to provide assistance for human losses caused by targeting a building in (Al-Mas'afa) village. A statement issued by the Joint Incidents Assessment Team (JIAT) regarding the allegation that the (boarding school for blind girls) in (Sana'a) was targeted on (20/04/2016) With regard to what was stated in the annual report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the reports of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General issued on (03 September 2019) that on (April 20, 2016), a boarding school for blind girls in (Sana'a) was targeted, resulting in the closure of the school. JIAT vetted the incident, and reviewed all documents, including air tasking orders, daily mission schedule, mission execution procedures, after mission reports, daily missions of the Coalition Surface Forces, open sources, Coalition Forces rules of engagement, provisions and principles of International Humanitarian Law and its customary rules, and after assessment of evidences, JIAT could not find the exact location of the (boarding school for blind girls) in (Sana'a) city. By studying the air missions carried out by the Coalition Forces on (20/04/2016), which is the date of the claim, JIAT found that the Coalition Forces did not carry out any air missions in (Sana'a) city, and that the closest military target the Coalition Forces dealt with is located in (Marib) governorate, which is the only air mission inside Yemen that day, (78) kms away from (Sana'a) city. By studying the daily mission schedule carried out by the Coalition Forces one day before and one day after the date of the claim, JIAT found the following: 1. On (19/04/2016) the day before the claimed date, Coalition Forces did not carry out any air missions in (Sana'a) city. 2. On (21/04/2016) the day after the claimed date, Coalition Forces did not carry out any air missions in (Sana'a) city. By studying the daily missions carried out by the Coalition Surface Forces on (20/04/2016), which is the date of the claim, JIAT found that the Coalition Surface Forces did not carry out any firing in (Sana'a) city. By studying the open sources, JIAT could not find any information that a (boarding school for blind girls) was targeted in (Sana'a) city. In light of that, JIAT found that Coalition Forces is not responsible for the targeting a (boarding school for blind girls), in (Sana'a) city on (20/04/2016). A statement issued by the Joint Incidents Assessment Team (JIAT) regarding the allegation that Coalition Forces targeted a (house) in (Dimnat Khadir) directorate of (Taiz) governorate on (09/04/2018). With regard to what was observed by (JIAT) that Coalition Forces launched an airstrike on (09/04/2018) that hit a (house) in (Dimnat Khadir) directorate of (Taiz) governorate. JIAT vetted the incident, and reviewed all documents, including air tasking orders, daily mission schedule, mission execution procedures, after mission reports, satellite images, open sources, Coalition Forces rules of engagement, provisions and principles of International Humanitarian Law and its customary rules, and after assessment of evidences, JIAT found that (Dimnat Khadir) directorate is located in (Taiz) governorate, and its center is (Al-Dimnah) city, which is (22) kms away from (Taiz) city. By studying the air missions carried out by the Coalition Forces on (09/04/2018), which is the date of the claim, JIAT found that the Coalition Forces did not carry out any air missions in (Dimnat Khadir) directorate of (Taiz) governorate, and that the closest military target the Coalition Forces dealt with is located in (Maqbanah) directorate, (48) kms away from (Al-Dimnah) city. By studying the daily mission schedule carried out by the Coalition Forces one day before and one day after the date of the claim, JIAT found the following: 1. On (08/04/2018) the day before the claimed date, Coalition Forces did not carry out any air missions in (Dimnat Khadir) directorate. 2. On (10/04/2018) the day after the claimed date, Coalition Forces did not carry out any air missions in (Dimnat Khadir) directorate. In light of that, JIAT found that Coalition Forces did not target a (house) in (Dimnat Khadir) directorate of (Taiz) governorate on (09/04/2018) as claimed." --SPA 17:57 LOCAL TIME 14:57 GMT 0021 www.spa.gov.sa/w1714730