WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — A doctor working in a Sanaa hospital confirmed that the majority of the 1,024 wounded patients treated there during the first month of the conflict, had been injured by anti-aircraft fire.
“Sana’a’s residents are caught in a deadly crossfire between the Saudi Arabian-led coalition airstrikes and anti-aircraft fire from the Houthi armed group,” Amnesty International Senior Crisis Advisor Lama Fakih said in a release.
Amnesty International officials went on a nine-day-long trip to Sanaa in mid-May 2015, where they spoke to medical staff at nine hospitals as well as to residents.
The officials reported that Houthi anti-aircraft fire was the leading cause of casualties in the Yemeni capital during Saudi-led airstrikes, which also have caused fatal civilian casualties.
“Both sides have failed to take the necessary precautions to protect civilian lives in violation of the laws of war. Instead, they have carried out attacks that have had devastating consequences for the civilian population.”
The release noted that the Saudi-led airstrikes against weapons depots in residential areas “triggered further explosions, also killing and injuring other civilians.”
The human rights group called on the Houthis not to use any contact-fuzed anti-aircraft weapons, and take additional precautions to protect civilians when firing other munitions, including air-burst ones.
Amnesty International is a New York-based international human rights organization that claims 3 million supporters throughout the world.