In a statement issued by the Saudi Defense Ministry, Riyadh has admitted that the country’s ground forces have killed dozens of Yemenis in the border sector of Najran, Russia Today reported.
The new round of attacks came more than a month after Saudi Arabia on March 26 launched a military campaign against Yemen with some its Arab allies. The coalition’s justification for the air strikes against the Houthi Ansarullah movement was to restore power to fugitive Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh.
Later on April 21, Saudis declared a halt to the month-long air campaign. But hours later, air strikes and ground fighting resumed.
Riyadh continues to control Yemeni airspace despite the end of the first stage of the Saudi operation in Yemen. Earlier this week Saudi Arabia bombed the runway in the Yemeni capital Sana’a to stop an Iranian flight packed with humanitarian goods from landing there. The damage caused to the runway has stopped the delivery.
Saudi actions that have hampered the delivery of vital aid to the country are a “very serious violation” of international standards, said Farhan Haq Deputy Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General according to TASS. He urged the Saudi-led coalition to let all aid into the country. At the same time United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) asked the warring parties to allow urgently needed fuel and food into the country.
“This is a country where half the population are considered food-insecure, meaning that many families do not know where their next meal will come from,” said Purnima Kashyap, WFP representative.