Sa'ada - Saba:
A joint press and human rights conference was held on Saturday by the UN Resident Coordinator in Yemen, local authorities in Sa'ada province, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Expatriates, and Interior, and heads of African communities at the site of the U.S. aggression crime—the African Migrants’ Shelter Center in Sa'ada.
During the press conference, attended by local and international media, the UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen, Julien Harneis, stated that targeting civilian migrants violates all rules of war and international humanitarian law.
Harneis emphasized that the purpose of the visit was to assess the location of the airstrike and prepare a report on the incident. He said, "It is clear that those here were civilians, and what happened is deeply troubling and tragic."
For his part, Sa'ada Governor Mohammed Awad affirmed in a statement by the local authority that this crime constitutes a grave violation of all international , humanitarian conventions and laws, as it targeted defenseless civilians and migrants in a location recognized internationally.
He called on international bodies to uphold their moral and legal responsibilities amid the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the province, exacerbated by the suspension of relief programs. He urged UN agencies to review their current policies toward Yemen.
In turn, Ismail Al-Mutawakel, Deputy Foreign Minister for International Cooperation, reiterated the ministry’s condemnation of this crime and solidarity with the African community, whose blood mingled with that of the Yemeni people, sharing in the injustice.
He praised the visit of the UN Resident Coordinator and his accompanying delegation, hoping it would convey the message from the people of the governorate on the urgent need to reverse the suspension of humanitarian aid and life-saving projects.
Al-Mutawakel also commended the swift response of local authorities, civil defense, the Red Cross, Red Crescent, OCHA, and media engagement regarding this crime.
Meanwhile, Major General Mohammed Al-Hakem, Deputy Interior Minister for Services, confirmed that the ministry is closely following the case with full attention to its legal and humanitarian dimensions. He expressed hope that the UN would fulfill its role regarding all detainees in general.
Ramadan Youssef, head of African communities in Yemen, renewed his condemnation of the U.S. aggression targeting the shelter center for African migrants, describing it as a full-fledged war crime.
Following the press conference, the UN Resident Coordinator and his delegation, alongside representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Interior and local authorities, visited the wounded victims of this crime at Al-Jumhouri and Al-Talh Hospitals.
They also inspected the extensive destruction caused by direct U.S. airstrikes on the under-construction Al-Rasul Al-Azam Hospital for Cancer Treatment.
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