[30/07/2018 06:51]

RIAYDH-SABA
Spokesperson of the " Arab Coalition to support legitimacy in Yemen" colonel Turki Al-Maliki rejected what incorporated in the statement of the UN Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs in Yemen Lise Grande about the very dangerous risks that civilians in Yemen have been subjected to due to aerial strikes carried out by the Coalition in the province of Hodeidah.

Speaking at the weekly press briefing he held Monday in Riyadh col. Al-Maliki said" The Coalition takes into account all precaution measures stipulated in the International Law and Humanitarian Law for protecting the civilians in accordance with articles 51 and 52 of the Geneva's Four agreements and their additional annexes".

Col. Al-Maliki reiterated that Saudi-led Arab Coalition's military operations in Yemen came with the aim of reinstating the legitimate government, reinstate official institutions, rehabilitate the national military as well as protect the Yemeni State.

Col. Al-Maliki added " Lise Grande's statement overlooked international and humanitarian violations that Houthi militia has been committing in the militia controlled territories in the Republic of Yemen".

He cited the militia's atrocities and harassments against the population in Hodeidah and other regions that Grande's statement made no reference to.

He also pointed to the Houthi militia's bombing drinking water station in the district of Atohyta as a case-in-point for the militia's violations.

The Coalition Forces spokesperson stated that Houthi militia's recent attack against the Saudi oil tanker in the international waters western Hodiedah seaport is savage hostile action and a tactic by Iranian Revolutionary Guards to threaten maritime navigation and global trade in the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait and Red Sea.

Al-Maliki noted that Houthi militia has continued to deliberately prevent ships from docking in Hodeidah seaport. He indicated that there have been two ships in the waiting area for above two weeks, besides that the rebels haven't allowed a ship to unload its cargo in the seaport since 35 days so far.

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