Riyadh: The Saudi-led Arab Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen has rejected the information that appeared in the annual report of the UN Secretary-General on children and armed conflict as “inaccurate” and based on “unreliable facts” provided by local organisations backed by the former Yemeni president.
“There were no documented cases either by photos, place or time of incident,” asserted Colonel Turki Al Maliki, the coalition’s spokesperson, in a press conference in Saudi capital Riyadh on Monday.
“The National Investigation Committee on Human Rights Violations has reported that 100 children lost their lives on the battlegrounds and Al Houthi militia took them to capital Sana’a where they issued death certificates. These figures contained many discrepancies. The committee report said there were some cases of recruitment of children aged 12 years and the coalition has reliable information which has not been shared with the UN about children aged eight years being recruited by Al Houthi militia,” he explained.
Col Al Maliki held Al Houthi militia accountable for the loss of children’s lives, who were recruited to fight along their ranks.
On the political process, Col Al Maliki said the coalition supports the Yemeni government position and the UN-led political process. “The Yemeni government announced its commitment to the political solution of the crisis for the interest of the Yemeni people as compared to the stubbornness shown by Al Houthi militia,” he said.
On the liberation of Hodeida city and its port, he referred to the statement made recently by Yemeni Foreign Minister Abdul Malek Al Mekhlafi, who described the city and its port as “twins” and there is no chance to accept the handover of the city without its port or the port without the city.
“Efforts by Martin Griffiths, UN Special Envoy for Yemen, are going on to find a political solution through negotiations with the coup militia,” Col Al Maliki stated.
The coalition spokesman referred to the EU’s recent statement on Yemen in which it condemned the launch of ballistic missiles by Al Houthis against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including at civilian targets, and against vessels transiting through the Bab Al Mandab Strait. “We share identical points of view with the EU in this respect,” he noted.
Relief operations
On the humanitarian operations, he said 22 air, sea and land entry points for relief from the coalition, the UN and other international organisations are functioning at their full capacities.
“We have so far issued more than 26,000 entry air, sea and land permits,” he revealed. Over the last 24 hours, he added, one permit was issued for a ship heading to Hodeida port while two ships have been blocked by Al Houthis for 69 days and only allowed in after the coalition exposed that.
Al Maliki added that the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) has distributed 25 truckloads of relief supplies in Yemen. He pointed out that the number of beneficiaries inside Yemen, whether in areas under the control of rebels or the legitimate government, has reached about five million.
Speaking about areas under the control of the Yemeni National Army and Popular Resistance with support of the Arab Coalition, he emphasised the continuation of military operations until aspired goals are achieved.
Regarding advancement achieved by the pro-government forces, backed by the Arab Coalition, in Saada, he said there was a qualitative advance in Baqir, Al Malahiz and Al Baqa battlefronts and other areas which aimed at destroying Al Houthi fortifications and capabilities, while the forces took control of large quantities of weapons, defused mines and secured the regained areas.
Al Jawf battlefront
In Al Jawf Governorate, he said the militiamen were targeted in the eastern and western highlands, Al Ghurfa, Al Hijjah and Al Sallal camp in Taiz. The forces loyal to the legitimate government have liberated Hosn Al Arnab, Al Karba Mountain, Al Holqoum, Sbeit Mountain and Al Rakiza.
He added that a location in Wadi Rasiyan, and the neighbouring highlands of Al Barah, Duwaiser Mountain and Al Dawari Mountain were liberated amid large losses in lives and equipment among the rebels.
In Al Baida, the forces loyal to the legitimate government carried out a successful military operation, during which they liberated Jebel Al Khaliqah and Khadra Al Arja. Meanwhile, the National Army and Popular Resistance in Hodeida are securing the airport and removing mines after taking control of complex.
The Yemeni Army has carried out an operation from south Midi towards Habal on the land and sea axes on the Red Sea, during which Habal Al Bahari was liberated and resulted in taking control of three civilian boats. Quantities of weapons and some portable missiles that threaten the regional and international security were also seized.
On other battleground, the National Army has advanced 23 kilometres and took control of the Habal Sea Harbour and Wadi Hiran and captured a number of heavy weapons.
He pointed out that the coalition possesses credible evidence confirming Iran’s provision of unmanned aircraft to Al Houthi militia.
The Arab Coalition spokesman reviewed a number of military operations carried out by the joint coalition forces against Al Houthi targets, and the quantity of mines that have been removed by the engineering teams, supported by the coalition forces, in the liberated areas.
He also mentioned 155 ballistic missiles and 66,326 projectiles were launched against Saudi Arabia until July 2.
