Coalition offers UN info about attacks on Yemen civilians

United Nations : The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen has offered to share with the United Nations the results of 10 investigations into air strikes on civilian targets, according to a confidential letter obtained on Saturday.

Saudi Ambassador Abdallah al-Mouallimi outlined a series of measures the coalition is taking to prevent attacks on civilians in Yemen in the 13-page letter sent to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday.

The coalition will share the results of the investigations with the United Nations during a meeting they have proposed be held in Riyadh, he said.

The offer of information about strikes on hospitals, homes, a wedding party and markets comes in response to UN demands that the coalition stop targeting civilians. “The coalition takes any allegations of violations of civilians and children’s rights very seriously,” the ambassador said.

“The coalition is unequivocally committed to the protection of civilians and fully respects its obligations under international law,” he added.

Ban is to report to the Security Council on Tuesday about whether the proposed measures will be sufficient to allow the coalition to remain off a UN blacklist of child rights violators.

Saudi Arabia reacted angrily to a decision in June to blacklist the coalition after a UN report found the military alliance was responsible for 60 percent of the 785 children’s deaths in Yemen last year.