The conflict in Yemen continues to kill civilians. On March 31, 2015 a series of airstrikes were carried out by Saudi-Arabia coalition on a dairy factory which killed 31 civilians and injured 10 others, reports the Human Rights Watch.
It is uncertain whether the airstrikes were in direct violation of the rules of war, since the ratio of militants to civilians in the target area is not certain. The Human Rights Watch urged the governments that had a part in the airstrikes to investigate the attack to see whether or not the attacks were indiscriminate or disproportionate. The rights group urged for an impartial investigation; the United States, not part of the coalition, may have participated in the airstrike through supplying information or other forms of direct involvement, says the HRW.
The Yemeny Dairy and Beverage factory was attacked a little after 11 pm. According to witnesses, warplanes began dropping their bombs on the buildings of the factory; there were three distinct explosions.
“In the aftermath of the strikes I saw body parts and charred bodies and hands and legs scattered,” a worker told the HRW. “I could not sleep for two days afterward because of the terrible images in my mind.”
Joe Stork, the deputy director for the Middle East and Africa at HRW, commented on the attacks.
“The coalition's repeated airstrikes on a dairy factory show cruel disregard for civilians, as does the deployment near the factory by Houthi and pro-Saleh forces,” he said. “The attack may have violated the laws of war, so the countries involved should investigate and take appropriate action, including compensating victims of unlawful strikes.”
The UNHCR urged the parties involved in the Yemen conflict to quickly find political solutions. The fighting has killed over 360 civilians including women and children as of April 14, according to the UNHCR.
