International aid organizations as well as the United Nations are sounding the alarm over “disturbing” reports of civilian casualties in Yemen as a Saudi-led coalition continued its bombing campaign for a sixth day.
A reported 93 civilians have been killed since the start of the airstrikes, which are allegedly targeting locations held by Iranian-backed Shiite Houthi rebels. An additional 364 Yemenis have been injured in the cities of Sana’a, Sa’da, Dhale, Hudayda, and Lahj, the UN reports.
Overnight, strikes reportedly targeting a Houthi checkpoint and fuel supplies killed 14 individuals, including four children and two women. At least 31 others were hospitalized with burns and shrapnel wounds.
In a statement, Said Boumedouha, deputy director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Program, condemned the attack. “After several days of often intense bombardment in several areas across Yemen, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the Saudi Arabian-led coalition is turning a blind eye to civilian deaths and suffering caused by its military intervention,” Boumedouha said.
Operation Decisive Storm, which began March 25, is backed by a coalition of Gulf states, including Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Sudan, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Bahrain, while the U.S. Pentagon and is providing coordination and intelligence.
On Tuesday, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, warned that the country stands of the verge of “total collapse” with the continued targeting of essential infrastructure.