The UN Secretary-General has criticized the Saudi-led coalition’s air assaults on Saada city and demanded an inquiry into the attacks, which killed more than 70 people in Yemen.
“The Secretary-General calls for prompt, effective, and transparent investigations into these incidents to ensure accountability,” Antonio Guterres’ spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, said.
On Friday, a detention center for migrants in Saada city was attacked. Rescuers are still looking for survivors, according to Basheer Omar, a Red Cross representative in Yemen. According to the Red Cross count, over 100 persons were killed or injured, he claimed.
On Saturday, Houthi rebels in Yemen and an aid organization said that the death toll had risen to at least 82.
Another Saudi air attack on Friday in the port city of Hodeidah targeted a telecommunications center that is critical to Yemen’s internet connection, according to satellite photographs analyzed by the Associated Press. The internet was still out early on Saturday.
Taha al-Motawakel, Yemen’s Houthi Health Minister, has appealed to the international community for medical assistance. He accused the Saudi coalition of attacking people on purpose.
“We consider this a war crime against humanity. The world should take responsibility at this critical moment in human history,” he said.
Air attacks were also launched near Sanaa, the capital of Yemen, which has been seized by the Houthis since late 2014. At least 14 individuals were killed in Sanaa on Tuesday as a result of Saudi air assaults.
The intense campaign comes after the Houthis claimed responsibility for a drone and missile attack on the UAE capital earlier this week, a major escalation in the conflict in Yemen, where the Saudi-led coalition has been conducting air raids since 2015. The UAE is a member of the coalition.
