“The Norwegian Refugee Council is appalled by Saudi-led coalition strikes on a highly-populated business district in Sana’a earlier today. We abhor the ongoing use of violence to intimidate civilian populations under the guise of efforts to protect them. Yemeni people are not collateral. Adherence to the laws of war is not optional.
The strikes that took place in Sana’a today are more visible to us because of their proximity to the homes of our staff but follow a trend of underreported attacks on civilians across the country. In recent weeks, Yemeni civilians have been killed in their homes, driving their cars, and at social gatherings. Since the start of the year, over 460 Yemeni people fled their homes every day, many with nowhere safe to go. On top of this, an impending rainy season threatens to create a third outbreak of cholera. The sustained obstruction to imports through Red Sea Ports plays havoc with the food people need to survive.
Repeated calls for the protection of civilians have gone entirely unheeded. We must now see meaningful steps taken by all conflict parties to mitigate the impact of war on Yemen’s people. We call on the United Nations Security Council to ensure the Presidential Statement of March this year is actively implemented in Yemen. We again call on conflict parties immediately cease hostilities and commit to a political resolution to end this war”