GENEVA: Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the UN Human Rights Council rejected “accusations” from two human rights groups that the Saudi-led Arab coalition helping restore legitimacy in Yemen conducted indiscriminate airstrikes that have killed civilians.
Ambassador Faisal Trad said Thursday that Saudi Arabia was “keen” to abide by international law, review allegations about its military operations and assist aid workers in Yemen, where the US-backed coalition has been fighting Shiite and other rebels.
The coalition, which includes other Gulf Cooperation Council members, Egypt, Jordan and other allies, intervened in March 2015 after Iran-backed Houthi rebels joined forces with loyalists of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh in trying to overthrow the UN-recognized government of President Abed Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have called for Saudi Arabia’s suspension from the Geneva-based body until Saudi forces halt indiscriminate airstrikes in Yemen that have killed over 900 civilians.
In an e-mail to The Associated Press, Trad countered that the rights groups were “rejecting the facts” and cited “violations” by Yemeni rebels.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, after initially criticizing Saudi Arabia, has also acknowledged kingdom's peacekeeping efforts and continuing aid to developing countries in the region and worldwide.
(Additional report from The Associated Press)
Ambassador Faisal Trad said Thursday that Saudi Arabia was “keen” to abide by international law, review allegations about its military operations and assist aid workers in Yemen, where the US-backed coalition has been fighting Shiite and other rebels.
The coalition, which includes other Gulf Cooperation Council members, Egypt, Jordan and other allies, intervened in March 2015 after Iran-backed Houthi rebels joined forces with loyalists of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh in trying to overthrow the UN-recognized government of President Abed Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have called for Saudi Arabia’s suspension from the Geneva-based body until Saudi forces halt indiscriminate airstrikes in Yemen that have killed over 900 civilians.
In an e-mail to The Associated Press, Trad countered that the rights groups were “rejecting the facts” and cited “violations” by Yemeni rebels.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, after initially criticizing Saudi Arabia, has also acknowledged kingdom's peacekeeping efforts and continuing aid to developing countries in the region and worldwide.
(Additional report from The Associated Press)
