UN Supports Call for Independent Investigation Into Yemen War Abuses

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon asked the UN Human Rights Council to act on the matter and called on all the sides taking part in the war in Yemen to cease hostilities and protect civilians.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The United Nations supports an initiative for an independent body to investigate human rights abuses committed in the course of the war in Yemen, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Monday.

"There must be accountability for the appalling conduct of this entire war. That is why the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has rightly called for the creation of an independent body to carry out the comprehensive investigation of alleged violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws," the UN chief told reporters.

Ban asked the UN Human Rights Council to act on the matter and called on all the sides taking part in the war to cease hostilities and protect civilians.

The comments follow a Saudi-led coalition airstrike in Yemen, which killed at least 10 people earlier in the day.

Yemen has been engulfed in a military conflict between the government headed by Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and Houthi rebels since 2014. The Houthis are backed by army units loyal to former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Since March 2015, the Saudi-led coalition of mostly Persian Gulf countries has been carrying out airstrikes against the opposition Houthis at the request of Hadi.