Sana’a Condemns Saudi Airstrikes on Hadramout, Describes Attacks on Airports and Civilian Areas as “War Crimes”
National Human Rights Authority Holds Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, and Their Supporters Legally Responsible, Calls for Independent International Investigation
NYN | Reports and Analyses
Sana’a authorities on Saturday condemned what they described as serious Saudi violations in Hadramout governorate in eastern Yemen, asserting that Saudi airstrikes targeted civilian areas in Qatn district and Seiyun Airport in a new escalation that could have wide-ranging humanitarian and security consequences.
The National Human Rights Authority said in an official statement that these airstrikes occur within the context of a power struggle between Saudi and Emirati projects on Yemeni soil, warning that the eastern governorates are at risk of becoming an open battlefield for settling scores between occupying forces.
Targeting Airports and Civilian Sites a “War Crime”
The statement considered that attacks on civilian objects and public service facilities, particularly airports, constitute a fully-fledged war crime and a blatant violation of international humanitarian law, especially the four Geneva Conventions, which criminalize attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure during armed conflicts.
Holding Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Their Supporters Fully Responsible
The Authority held the Saudi and Emirati regimes, along with their supporting countries—primarily the United States and Israel—fully legally and morally responsible for these crimes and violations against Yemeni civilians.
It emphasized that continuation of this approach would undermine regional peace and security and exacerbate the suffering of civilians, particularly women, children, and the elderly.
Call for International Investigation, End of Aggression, and Lifting of Air Blockade
The Authority called on the United Nations, the Security Council, and the Human Rights Council to fulfill their legal and ethical responsibilities by initiating an independent international investigation into the crimes of what it termed the “invading and occupying states.”
It also urged international human rights and humanitarian organizations to issue clear and explicit condemnation, document these crimes, and submit them to the relevant international judicial mechanisms, calling on the international community to apply serious pressure to stop the aggression, end the occupation, lift the air blockade imposed on Yemen, and ensure protection for civilians and civilian objects.
