Investigation clears coalition on claims of rights violations at Yemen sites

Mansour Al-Mansour announces the results of investigations into allegations against coalition forces in Yemen. (Supplied)

• Report details three incidents, including claims that coalition forces targeted two houses in the Sha’aban area, a civilian house in Al-Hudaydah governorate, and Al-Ghail Health Center
• Investigation concluded that the coalition carried out an air mission on a military target, 4.5 km away from the coordinates of the claimed two houses, using one guided bomb that hit its target

RIYADH: The Joint Incident Assessment Team held a conference in Riyadh on Wednesday to announce the results of investigations into allegations against coalition forces in Yemen. 

The report details three incidents, including claims that coalition forces targeted two houses in the Sha’aban area, a civilian house in Al-Hudaydah governorate, and Al-Ghail Health Center in Al-Ghail. 

Team spokesman Mansour Al-Mansour said that “with regards to what was stated in the ninth periodic report on the works of the National Commission to Investigate Alleged violations to Human Rights in Yemen (NCIAVHR) on Dec 11, 2017, the Coalition Forces targeted G.J house and M.J. house in Sha’aban area in Razih directorate of Sa’ada governorate, the targeting resulted in the destruction of the two houses, killing and injuring number of people, and the destruction of two cars.” 

Al-Mansour, said that the investigation had concluded that the coalition forces carried out an air mission on a military target, 4.5 km away from the coordinates of the claimed two houses, using one guided bomb that hit its target. 

Regarding the allegation that the coalition targeted a civilian house in Al-Jirahi directorate of Al-Hudaydah governorate on Dec. 1, 2021, and that one man and two children were injured in the strike, JIAT found that the coalition did not carry out any air missions in the whole of the governorate. 

JIAT also exonerated the coalition over a report issued by Physicians for Human Rights which stated that on Feb. 24, 2016, coalition forces aircraft dropped three munitions on Al-Ghail Health Center in Al-Ghail directorate of Al-Jawf governorate.

At the time, Houthi militia were occupying the site and using it as a military center. The building was partially destroyed in the attack. 

In response to the allegation, JIAT found that coalition forces carried out an air mission on a military target, consisting of a gathering of fighter elements belonging to the Houthi militia, in a vacant area, 2.9 km away from Al-Ghail Health Center, using one guided bomb that hit its target.