A Westminster watchdog has warned that the UK is “on the wrong side” of international law over its sale of arms to Saudi Arabia as the brutal war in Yemen continues.
The House of Lords international relations committee said it is "highly likely" that UK weapons had caused "significant" civilian casualties during the course of the brutal four-year conflict.
It warned that relying on Saudi assurances that they are not targeting civilians is not an "adequate way" to fulfil the UK's obligations under an international arms trade agreement.
Brutal war
The civil war in the region has raging in the region for nearly four years – intensifying a crisis that began with a revolution in the country in 2011.
Fighting between Iranian-backed Houthi rebels and the ousted Yemeni Government, backed by a Saudi-led coalition of nine countries from the Middle East and Africa has been ongoing since 2015
The war has led to what the UN has described as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
Internally displaced children beside their family's hut on the outskirts of Aden, 21-10-2018. Image: Xinhua/Murad AbduStarvation
Some 22.2 million people are in need of humanitarian aid – with nearly 8.5 million “severely food insecure” or at risk of starvation.
There were at least 16,700 civilian casualties between March 2015 and June 2018, although the actual figure is believed to be 'significantly higher.'
According to the experts, coalition airstrikes have been the cause of most civilian casualties - with strikes hitting markets, residential areas, funerals, weddings, boats and medical facilities.
Arms sales
A host of European countries have suspended arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE; however the US and UK continue to supply coalition members with huge amounts of advanced military equipment.
In its report, the Lords committee said that the UK has £4.7bn (€5.37bn) of arms exports to Saudi Arabia and £860m (€982m) to other members of the coalition since the conflict began.
Typhoon jet fighters and associated systems accounted for the majority of exports approved for the Saudis.
The committee found that although “conclusive evidence is not yet available” the sales put the UK “narrowly” on the wrong side of international law.
"Given the volume and type of arms being exported to the Saudi-led coalition, we believe they are highly likely to be the cause of significant civilian casualties in Yemen, risking the contravention of international humanitarian law," it said.
“We are deeply concerned that the Saudi-led coalition's misuse of their weaponry is causing, whether deliberately or accidentally, loss of civilian life," it said.
Internally displaced children outside their family's hut in Hajja, Yemen. 01-10-2018. Image: Hani Al-Ansi/DPA/PA ImagesHuman rights
Human rights groups have for years been calling on the UK and US to end the arms sales to the coalition.
Amnesty international has warned that there is nothing that can justify the sales, “when there is extensive evidence that these have resulted in enormous harm to Yemeni for the past three years.”
Last month the organisation’s UK Director Kate Allen said: “The UK’s moral hypocrisy over arms to Saudi Arabia is absolutely blatant.
“While preaching about respect for human rights on the international stage, the UK continues to pour weaponry into the huge Saudi arsenal despite the clear risk that more Yemeni civilians will die as a result.
“There’s a huge disconnect between what ministers say about UK arms export ‘controls’ and the terrifying reality on the ground in Yemen.
“2019 needs to be the year the UK finally does the right thing and ends its shameful Saudi arms shipments.”
With additional reporting from IRN...
