By Brittani Howell

Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

 

SANA’A, Yemen

Saudi Arabia has proposed a five-day truce beginning Tuesday, after an air missile attack over the weekend. The truce was contingent on the agreement of the Houthi rebels. Both parties will resume hostilities if the truce is violated.

On Friday, Saudi Arabia dropped pamphlets over Sadaa instructing civilians to evacuate. Saudi Arabia then classified Sadaa as a military zone. Many civilians were unable to leave in time largely due to fuel shortages and the lack of vehicles or communications devices. It is also alleged that Houthi rebels prevented civilians from leaving to use civilians as human shields. Over 130 airstrikes took place during a 24-hour period.

On Sunday, the Houthi rebels agreed to the truce. The home of the former President Ali Abdullah Saleh was bombed on the same day. Nevertheless, the Houthis insist on entering a dialogue with the Saudi coalition and urge that they will remain cooperative. The truce would allow food and medical supplies into Sadaa. The Houthis state that a Saudi naval blockade prevented ships that were carrying food from entering the port of Hodeida, including a ship from Tasnim.

According to the United Nations up to 1,400 people have been killed and 6,000 injured since March 19^th. The majority of the victims have been civilians. Airstrikes have been conducted by the Saudi-led coalition since March 26^th.

Saudi Arabia, backed by the United States, is attempting to restore the power of President Abd-Rabbu Mansor Hadi. President Hadi fled Sana’a in February after being forced out by the Houthi rebels. The Houthis goal is to remove al Qaeda militants in Yemen. The Houthis are opposed to President Hadi because of a belief that he is supporting al Qaeda militants.

The recent airstrikes targeted schools and hospitals amongst other Houthi headquarters. The schools and hospitals that were targeted were being used to store weapons. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reported that there were few safe places for hospitals, which resulted in the merger of departments to one location.

A U.N. humanitarian coordinator, Johannes Van Der Klaauw stated, “The indiscriminate bombing of populated areas, with or without prior warning, is in contravention of international humanitarian law.” MSF emergency coordinator Teresa Sancristóval noted, “Many people were not aware of the order of evacuation.”

For further information please see:

Associated Press – Yemen’s Shite Insurgents, Army Rebels Back 5-Day Cease-Fire – 10 May 2015

BBC – Yemen Houthi Rebels ‘Positive’ Over Saudi Truce Plan – 10 May 2015

Reuters – Houthis Accept Five-Day Truce in Yemen Proposed by Saudi Arabia – 10 May 2015

CNN – U.N. rep Accuses Saudi-led Coalition of Violation International Law – May 9 2015

By Max Bartels 

Impunity Watch Reporter, The Middle East 

 

Islamabad, Pakistan

Obama announced on Thursday that U.S. counter-terrorism operations in Pakistan on Al Qaeda targets  killed an American and Italian hostage last January. The President took full responsibility for the deaths of American Warren Weinstein and Italian national Giovanni Lo Porto. The White House Press Secretary claimed Obama did not personally approve the strikes but they were in the bounds of policy guidelines. The White House did not admit that drones carried out the strikes that killed the hostages.

Al Qaeda captured Warren Weinstein in August 2011 while he was working as a USAID contractor in Pakistan. Lo Porto was taken hostage while working as an aid worker in 2012. Obama announced that the Inspector General is launching an investigation into the incident. Obama also stated that the U.S. government would compensate the families of both hostages. The U.S. did not recover the bodies of either hostage but multiple intelligence sources confirmed their deaths based off circumstantial evidence.

The President also disclosed that two American citizens, both Al Qaeda operatives, were killed by counter- terrorism operations in the same region of Pakistan. Ahmed Farouq was the Al Qaeda Deputy Amir for the Indian subcontinent and he was killed in the same strike that killed the two hostages. The other American, Adam Gadahn was also killed but the White House reported that he was likely killed in a separate operation.

Obama and the Press Secretary claimed that the U.S. government was not aware that the hostages  or that the two American Al Qaeda operatives were present at the target sites. Critics of the drone strike campaign are using the incident for continued pressure on the Obama administration even though it is yet to be officially disclosed that drones carried out these operations. Obama announced two years ago that he would be scaling back drone operations however; the administration claims that these strikes were carried out within the guidelines for such missions. Regardless, the ACLU pointed out that there is a significant problem with continuing these strikes if there is continued harm to civilians. The ACLU also pointed out that the deaths of civilians shows a gap between the stringent standards the government says its using and the standards that are actually being used when carrying out these strikes.

For more information, please see:

CNN — U.S. Drone Strike Accidentally Killed 2 Hostages — 23 April, 2015 

The New York Times — Obama Apologizes After Drone Kills American and Italian Held by Al Qaeda — 23 April, 2015

CNN — Al Qaeda Hostage, American Warren Weinstein, Killed in Operation — 23 April, 2015 

Daily News — American, Italian Hostages Killed in U.S Drone Attack Against Al Qaeda in Pakistan: White House — 23 April, 2015

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch, Managing Editor

SANAA, Yemen — Saudi Arabia announced on Tuesday that it is scaling back its military operations in neighboring Yemen, after more than three weeks of airstrikes that have so far failed to drive back the Shiite rebels who ousted President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, President of the Revolutionary Committee, assumed power. The announcement could single the end of the largest military operation ever conducted by Saudi Arabia.

The Gulf State’s Brig. Gen. Ahmed Asiri announced that the coalition led by Saudi Arabia would transition to a new operation in Yemen that focuses on addressing a worsening humanitarian crisis, combating terrorism and finding a political solution to end the conflict. Despite the failure of the airstrikes to drive away the Houthi rebels the General claimed the operation was a success and that the campaign had achieved its military objectives by successfully eliminating threats to Saudi security, including the destruction of the Iranian backed Houthi rebels’ supply of missiles and heavy weapons. General Asiri said the objectives of the opposition were achieved”by a very good planning, very precise execution, by the courage of our pilots, our sailors, our soldiers.”

Supporters of Mohammed Ali al-Houthi remained defiant after the announcement from Saudi Arabia. “This announcement of a halt to this operation is nothing but a shameful defeat for Saudi,” said Mohammed Meftah, a pro-Houthis politician. He added that Saudi Arabian government would have to pay billions of dollars in reparations for the damage caused by the airstrikes, saying that state is criminally responsible for the damage.”

United States National Security Council spokesperson Alistair Baskey, said that “the United States welcomes” the Saudi announcement. He added, “we continue to support the resumption of a U.N.-facilitated political process and the facilitation of humanitarian assistance.” officials in the United States have grown uneasy about the Saudi coalition’s objectives and have become concerned that the airstrikes have shifted the security focus away al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, which is based in Yemen and has taken advantage of the chaos in the gulf state.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest would not make any direct comments on any Navy movements in Yemeni waters, but said the United States has concerns over Iran’s support for the Houthis rebels. Earnest said; “we have seen evidence that the Iranians are supplying weapons and other armed support to the Houthis in Yemen. That support will only contribute to greater violence in that country. These are exactly the kind of destabilizing activities that we have in mind when we raise concerns about Iran’s destabilizing activities in the Middle East.” He added “the Iranians are acutely aware of our concerns for their continued support of the Houthis by sending them large shipments of weapons.”

For more information please see:

BBC News – Yemen conflict: Saudi Arabia ends air campaign – 21 April 2015

CNN International – Saudi Arabia launching political solution campaign in Yemen – 21 April 2015

The New York Times – Middle East Advertisement 63 Comments Middle East Saudis Announce Halt to Yemen Bombing Campaign – 21 April 2015

The Washington Post – Saudi Arabia says it will scale back its military campaign in Yemen – 21 April 2015