Coalition rejects report on Yemen for lack of transparency

Coalition spokesman Col. Turki Al-Malki said the repot lacks professionalism. (AN photo)

• ‘We are left with a resolution which is biased, and which clearly contradicts the clear mandate laid out by the UN Security Council’
• Coalition spokesman Col. Turki Al-Malki said the allies do not accept the results of the report on the humanitarian situation in the Arab country

JEDDAH: The Arab coalition fighting to restore legitimacy in Yemen has rejected an experts’ report for lacking transparency and professionalism.
On Friday, the UN Human Rights Council voted to extend an international probe of alleged war crimes committed in Yemen, which was strongly condemned by Yemen and allies Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt.
“We are left with a resolution which is biased, and which clearly contradicts the clear mandate laid out by the UN Security Council,” said the joint statement by the countries.
Council members voted in favor of the resolution in Geneva by 21 to 8, with 18 abstentions.  
Coalition spokesman Col. Turki Al-Malki said the allies do not accept the results of the report on the humanitarian situation in the Arab country, stressing that the legitimate government also rejected findings too, and indicated the experts’ bias toward the Iran-backed Houthi militia.
The coalition, however, acknowledged the experts’ difficult working conditions under the Houthi militia, and welcomed the activities of all the United Nations organizations and NGOs in Yemen.
Leaked reports in the media have shown violations against staff of the UN and NGOs by the Houthis. 
There must be more stringent steps to counter the accusations and intrusions, Al-Malki said.
Moreover, Malki stressed that all actions carried out by the militia, including raiding warehouses, hostilities, levying taxation, disrupting trucks only increase the suffering of the public.
200 missiles have now been launched by the militia toward Saudi Arabia since 2015, and the group continues to lay naval mines, putting international trade routes at risk.
On military operations, Al-Maliki said a number of targets were struck inside Yemen, including Saada, Kataf, Boqa’ and Baqem. Two boat were also destroyed while attempting to target the port of Jazan, in Saudi Arabia.