Spokesman of Joint Accident Assessment Team in Yemen reviews results of team assessment 2 Riyadh

  • 2/5/2023
  • 10:03
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Regarding the case 95, Mansour explained that in relation to the memorandum of the Regional Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (No. 32/18) of 04 February 2018, which stated that during the conflict between the Government of Yemen and the Huthi movement and despite the fact that a large number of places have been registered with the joint coalition command as places to be avoided in the non-targeting list to avoid damage and accidents to United Nations offices, personnel and facilities in Yemen, on February 02, 2018, at approximately 16:10 hours, an air strike hit a target 500 meters from the UNHCR warehouse in Saada, causing damage to the warehouse and wounding the guard. He noted that the accident assessment team had verified the incident and had considered all the documents and based on intelligence received by the coalition forces, one of the senior military commanders of the armed Houthi militia was traveling in a vehicle, after monitoring, checking the vehicle, following up and taking the necessary precautions before the attack and waiting until it is out of the overcrowded area and at (3:09) pm on Tuesday (02/02/2018), the coalition air forces targeted the legitimate military target (Houthi leader inside the vehicle) and hit it accurately, after returning to the satellite images, it became clear to the joint team that (the target vehicle) was located 225 meters south east of the UNHCR warehouse in Saada city, and fragments of the target may reach the warehouse. In light of this, the Joint Accident Assessment Team validated the procedures followed by the coalition forces in dealing with the legitimate military objective (Houthi leader in the vehicle) in accordance with international humanitarian law and customary rules. The team considers that the states of the coalition should provide assistance to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for the collateral damage included in the claim. In case No. 96, Mansour stated that with regard to the report of the Panel of Experts on Yemen established pursuant to Security Council Resolution 2140 of 22 January 2016, which alleges that the coalition forces, on the evening of Monday, 31 March 2015, Shelled the (National Cement Factory) in the province (Lahj), causing the deaths of at least (10) people, and wounding at least (13) others. He noted that the incident assessment team had verified the incident and that the team had been informed of all the documents and found that the coalition forces had received intelligence from within Yemen that the armed Houthi militia had seized the National Cement Factory, 35 kilometers north of Lahj, in an elevated area isolated from the urban range and was used as stores (weapons and ammunition) and a point of supply to support military operations, which is considered a legitimate military target whose destruction achieves military advantage after the fall of legal protection for civilian objects. Then, the coalition forces conducted reconnaissance and surveillance of the site. On Tuesday, March 31, 2015, and during the Coalition Forces' reconnaissance and surveillance missions, an aerial formation came under fire of AAA (anti-aircraft) from inside the factory. The information was passed to Coalition Forces Command. The Coalition Forces at 0945 hours on Tuesday, 31 March 2015, carried out an air mission on targets (weapons stores, ammunition, anti-aircraft (AAA) and trucks) using guided bombs that hit their targets. On the basis of video recordings and post-mission reports of the targeting process (weapons and ammunition stores) minor explosions were observed, confirming the presence of munitions and weapons stored inside them. Referring to the aerial photographs, it became clear to the joint team that what was bombed inside (National Cement Factory) was 360 meters away from generators and equipment operating the factory, and the operational structure of the factory was not targeted. In light of this, the Joint Accident Assessment Team verified the actions taken by coalition forces to target (ammunition and weapons depots at the National Cement Factory) were in accordance with international humanitarian law and customary rules. --More 23:18 LOCAL TIME 20:18 GMT 0056 www.spa.gov.sa/w755687

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