Saudi Arabia Killed 83 Muslims in September

Saudi Crown Prince bin Salman

For the second month running, Saudi Arabia has killed the highest number of civilians; killing no fewer than 83 Muslim civilians (33.3% of the total civilian deaths) and injuring 39 others in its ongoing war on the Yemen. 

The deadliest Saudi attack on Yemen came on the 15^th when Saudi planes struck a vehicle carrying civilians, 15 civilians were killed with over 20 others sustaining injuries. In August, Saudi attacks in Yemen killed at least 204 Muslim civilians. The deadliest Saudi attack on Yemen for August came on 2^nd August when Saudi planes struck a hospital and a fishing harbor; 55 Muslims civilians were killed and another 130 others sustained injuries.

Saudi Arabia and her allies backed by America and Britain started a military campaign against Yemen in March 2015, with the aim of reinstalling the secularist government of Abdur Rabbuh Mansur Hadi who was pushed out by popular protests.

According to figures, some 15,000 Yemenis mostly civilians have been killed and thousands more injured since the war of the aggression; some sources have much greater figures.

Due to the Saudi-led coalition incessant attacks of water processing facilities in the impoverished country, more than 2,200 Yemenis (mainly women and children) have died in several cholera outbreaks across the country; the United Nations has described Yemen as the world's worst humanitarian disaster.

On 24th of July, UNICEF condemned in strong terms incessant attacks on the water supply system in Yemen by Saudi Arabia. The UNICEF regional Director for the Middle East, Geert Cappelaere, said in the statement, “UNICEF deplores in the strongest terms yet another attack on vital and lifesaving water systems in Yemen. Continuous attacks on water systems in Yemen are cutting off children and their families from water; increasing the likelihood of water-borne diseases spreading in the war-torn country.” 

Geert went on to add, “Attacks on civilian infrastructure including water systems are a violation of international humanitarian law”.

In January 2018, Human Rights Watch (HRW) urged the united nations to impose sanctions on Saudi Arabia’s military leaders including the crown price, Mohamed bin Salman, who is also serving as the kingdoms Defense Minister.

The Middle East Director at HRW, Sarah Leah Whitson, said in the statement that was released on 18th January 2018, “United Nations Security Council sanctions on Houthi leaders should be extended to senior [Saudi-led] coalition military leaders, including Saudi Defense Minister Mohammed bin Salman, for their role in obstructing aid and other abuses.”

The report also noted, "Coalition military actions have violated laws-of-war prohibitions on restricting humanitarian assistance and on destroying objects essential to the survival of the civilian population."

In other parts of the report, it stated, "These violations, as well as the coalition’s disregard for the reported suffering of the civilian population, suggest that the coalition may be violating the prohibition against using starvation as a method of warfare, which is a war crime.”

On the involvement of the west in the ongoing onslaught, Sarah Leah Whitson intimated reporters on the fact that “the US, UK, France and others are risking complicity in unlawful coalition airstrikes by continuing to provide weapons to Saudi Arabia.”

In very clear and emphatic terms, Sarah said, “Faced with the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, governments should be urging the UN to enact sanctions against Saudi leaders, not selling them more bombs to use on Yemeni markets, schools, and hospitals.”

The United Nations says a record 22.2 million Yemenis are in need of food aid, including 8.4 million threatened by severe hunger.