The Independent: Third of Saudi Airstrikes Hitting Civilian Targets

The Independent published yesterday a new report for Bil Trew. In The report he stated that nearly third of all Saudi air raids on Yemen have hit civilian targets including hospitals, schools and food stores. New data was revealed, as the war-ravaged country marks the fifth anniversary of the conflict amid the coronavirus crisis.

According to the Yemen Data Project, more than 18,400 civilians have been killed or injured by Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies since they launched a bombing campaign in 2015. Over 8,600, a quarter of them women and children, were killed across tens of thousands of raids, marking 70% of the total civilian death toll documented by rights groups, while the number is much higher and more than 100,000 civilians have died since the war began.

The same report said over the last five years coalition aircraft have bombed medical facilities including hospitals and clinics 83 times, killing 95 civilians and injuring a further 116. Over 60 food stores have also been hit, alongside 134 water and electricity facilities.

Civilians Targeting:

“The data clearly shows that over the five years [the coalition] has been consistently hitting civilian targets. That’s indisputable,” said the Yemen Data Project’s Iona Craig, adding that on average the alliance causes 10 civilian casualties a day.  That day over 150 civilians were killed in an air-raid on a prison complex in Dhamar, southwest of the country. “Mass civilian casualty events are still happening even when there are fewer airstrikes,” she added.

The data comes as the country marks the fifth anniversary of the devastating conflict which according to the United Nations has sparked the world’s worst humanitarian crisis in terms of numbers.

Coronavirus Fears:

So far, the country has yet to record a novel coronavirus case but there are fears that when the deadly disease arrives it will quickly spread through the country, as the fighting has decimated the health care system.
Only half of all hospitals and medical centres are functioning, according to the United Nations. Even those that are open are facing severe shortages of medicines, equipment and staff.
According to Oxfam, 17 million people – more than half the population – have no access to clean water.

It said that US-Saudi aggression have damaged or destroyed health facilities through airstrikes and shelling, occupying medical facilities and excluding civilian use as well as assaulting medical professionals.