‘26 children killed in airstrikes’

THE Saudi-led coalition waging an air campaign against Houthi rebels in northern Yemen is killing children in what amounts to war crimes, according to an international rights group.

Human Rights Watch released a detailed report documenting the deaths of 26 children in five air strikes since June.

The group said that despite coalition promises to abide by international law, the air strikes have failed to do that and it urged the United Nations to place the coalition on its “list of shame”, a blacklist of countries that violate children’s rights.

HRW also called for an international investigation into possible war crimes.

“Saudi Arabia pledged to minimise civilian harm, yet coalition air strikes are still wiping out entire families,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director of the New York-based group.