SANA'A, April 29 (Saba) - Amnesty International has called for investigating the killing of hundreds of civilians, including scores of children, by the Saudi Arabian-led airstrikes across Yemen.

"The month-long campaign of air strikes carried out by Saudi Arabia and its allies has transformed many parts of Yemen into a dangerous place for civilians," said Said Boumedouha, Deputy Director of Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa Programme.

"Millions of people have been forced to live in a state of utter terror, afraid of being killed at home. Many feel they are left with no choice but to move away from their destroyed villages to an uncertain future."

The UN has stated that more than 550 civilians have been killed including more than 100 children since the military campaign began on 25 March.

Amnesty International said it has documented eight strikes in five densely populated areas, which are Sa'ada, Sana'a, Hodeida, Hajjah and Ibb, noting that several of these strikes raised concerns about compliance with the rules of international humanitarian law.

According its research, Amnesty International said at least 139 people, including at least 97 civilians, 33 of whom were children were killed during the strikes, and 460 individuals were injured, at least 157 whom are civilians.

"The mounting civilian toll in some of the cases we have researched are deeply concerning," Boumedouha said, stressing that some of the Saudi airstrikes appeared to have failed to take necessary precautions to minimize harm to civilians and damage to civilian objects.

"It is crucial that independent and impartial investigations are carried out to ascertain whether violations of international humanitarian law have been committed," said Boumedouha.

Airstrikes and shelling have also destroyed or damaged hospitals, schools, universities, airports, mosques, food transport vehicles, factories, petrol stations, telephone networks, electricity power stations and stadiums.

"This has left thousands of people without power and suffering from food and petrol shortages."

The international organization said vast majority of Yemeni people has now been affected by the conflict and between 120,000 and 150,000 civilians have fled their homes in the last month alone, according to the UN reports. Besides the 100,000 people who were already internally displaced from previous conflicts in Yemen.

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