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Yemen: RR Calls on the International Community to Put an End for the Civilian Massacres
August 19, 2018:
The Netherlands-based foundation for human rights in the Arab world, Rights Radar (RR), called on the international community to play a role in putting an end for civilian massacres in Yemen and to oblige the parties of the armed conflict in Yemen to avoid targeting civilians and to protect them during the armed conflict.
RR called also on the UN to use its tools to push for an urgent investigation into the air raids by the Saudi-led coalition targeted children's bus in Dahyan market, in Saada province, on Thursday, August 9, which killed 51 civilians including 29 children, in addition to injuring 79 other civilians, in Dhahyan market, province of Saada, north Yemen. 
RR stressed the need to open the file of human massacres committed by the parties of the armed conflict, during the ongoing war in Yemen since the beginning of 2015, where dozens of human massacres were committed and forgotten, as a result of international inaction. 
It strongly condemned the frequent targeting civilians in Yemen, by the air raids of the Saudi-led Arab coalition with strong participation and influence of the UAE, without taking into account the rules of engagement during the war, which considered as a clear violation of international conventions and laws that call on parties of armed conflicts to spare civilians direct targeting.
RR got an exclusive report from eyewitnesses in Saada province confirming that the number of dead civilians in Dhayan market’s incident was 51 civilians, and the number of wounded people reached to 79 others, including 55 children under the age of 18, according to field statistics documenting the names and condition of the victims.
An eyewitness told RR that "the children victims were returning from a recreational picnic organized by the Houthi Summer Center in the town of Dhahyan". This town is the stronghold of the Ansar Allah movement, well known as Houthi group.
He explained that "the air raid targeted the children bus while it was stopping next to the sidewalk in the crowded Dhahyan market with shoppers at 9 AM, caused a terrible massacre of civilians, where the remains of the victims were scattered, and the place filled with dozens of bodies and wounded people”.
The eyewitness said that the place bombed by the air raid of the Arab coalition "is not a military site, it is a crowded market with shoppers and sellers, most of them are internally displaced people (IDPs) from other areas and provinces”.
RR stressed the necessity for an impartial and fair investigation to ensure the rights of victims and to reveal the real perpetrators of these massacres from the parties of the armed conflict, to contribute into ending possible other massacres in the future targeting the lives of civilians in Yemen.
The Saada children massacre came within less than 24 hours after two other air raids targeted civilians in Amran and Hajjah provinces, as well as a week after the horrific massacre in the city of Hodeida, targeted the fish market and the Athawra gate hospital, killed 55 civilians, including children, whom the Arab coalition accused Houthi armed group of committing it.
RR confessed that the international community must take rapid action to protect the civilians in Yemen, to prevent the recurrence of such grave violations against civilians and to work to create deterrent measures for parties of the armed conflict in Yemen.
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Spokespersons for media:

- English:
Gerard van der Kroon, mobile 0031618328751
E-mail: spokesperson@rightsradar.org

- Arabic:
Wadeea Ata: mobile 00905346309802
E-mail: contact@rightsradar.org