(Beirut) –Human Rights Watch today released a question-and-answer document on the international legal obligations of the parties to Yemen’s conflict. The armed conflict in Yemen, which escalated on March 26, 2015, has already cost hundreds of civilian lives.
“The fighting in Yemen involves an array of national armed forces, tribal groups, Islamist militants, and militias who in a matter of days have put countless civilians at unnecessary risk,” said James Ross, legal and policy director. “Concerted efforts to abide by international law could save many lives.”
The Q&A answers questions regarding the international law applicable to the Saudi-led coalition, the United States, and the armed group Ansar Allah, known as the Houthis; fundamentals of the laws of war; past concerns in Yemen such as child soldiers and cluster munitions; access to humanitarian aid; and accountability mechanisms to provide justice for war crimes.
