Statement by the official spokesperson of the coalition to restore legitimacy in Yemen Brigadier General Turki Al Malki: “The Joint Forces Command of the Coalition has viewed a statement issued by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, regarding the Houthi militia’s execution of nine Yemeni civilians, including a minor, in the capital Sana’a, and the claim against the Coalition it mentioned, stating that six civilian casualties in Shabwah Governorate have fallen as a result of a Coalition airstrike. Thereupon, the Coalition confirms that it has not received any information nor coordination from UN OCHA in Yemen regarding this allegation, as per the coordination mechanism in such cases. No such information has been conveyed to the Coalition regarding the alleged airstrike. The Coalition takes these claims very seriously, and applies all necessary and required procedures to validate them and announce investigation results through proper referral to the Joint Incidents Assessment Team.

We reaffirm that the Coalition implements the highest targeting standards in its military operations, in accordance with the International Humanitarian Law, and follows international best practices in its Rules of Engagement. The Coalition is also dynamically developing its RoEs in accordance with the operational environment. There has not been any incident claims during the past 14 months, which confirms that the Coalition is respecting, and fully implementing, the Customary International Humanitarian Law. The Coalition is taking all necessary procedures to spare civilians from sustaining any collateral damage. At a time where the Coalition is exercising the highest levels of prudence, the Houthi militia continues to launch hundreds of bomb-laden drones and ballistic missiles towards civilians and civilian objects in Saudi cities. The Coalition has refrained from retaliation and targeting terrorist Houthi leaders and capabilities due to their use of civilians and civilian objects as human shields, in order to prevent them from targeting by the Coalition.

We express our profound regret of linking this claim in the UN statement along with the public and barbaric crime of the Houthi militia, where they executed nine innocent civilians, including a minor, with rifles in the Yemeni capital.”