A/HRC/30/31
channel Al-Ekhbariya, flyers announcing the operation were released over Old Sa’ada.
According to information received by OHCHR, the limited availability of fuel, the
particularly challenging terrain, and barely operational telecommunications services
prevented tens of thousands of civilians from complying with the ultimatum launched by
the coalition.
50.
Despite the obstacles, thousands of inhabitants fled from Sa’ada to the neighbouring
governorates of Amran and Hajjah, while at least 15,984 were internally displaced within
Sa’ada. Although OHCHR was unable to obtain detailed information on affected cities and
resulting casualties, it was informed that coalition air strikes hit at least six residential
homes and five markets in Sa’ada, reportedly with no evidence of Houthi military
deployment.
51.
On 6 May 2015, 15 civilians were killed, including four children and three women
from the same family, when two homes collapsed while the families were inside. The
homes were hit by two air strikes in Al-Dhaid, Sa’ada.
52.
OHCHR gathered information indicating that, on 7 June 2015, coalition forces
conducted air strikes against an area hosting a high concentration of internally displaced
persons in Duaij village (Hajjah Governorate), allegedly killing four civilians, including
three women, and injuring 41 civilians, including 12 women and 16 children. Four
makeshift homes for displaced persons were allegedly destroyed in that incident. On 14
June, a family of 10, including four women and two children, were allegedly killed in AlHamza as a result of an air strike by coalition forces that struck their vehicle travelling from
Al-Jawf to Sana’a.
53.
OHCHR documented allegations that, on 17 June 2015, two buses transporting
displaced families were hit by air strikes conducted by coalition forces in Al-Alam (Abyan
Governorate). It found that 17 civilians had been killed in the incident, including five
women and five children, while 10 others, including two women and three children, had
been injured. The victims were reportedly fleeing the violence from Al-Mansoura district
(Aden Governorate), and were on their way to Hadramout.
3.
Armed drones
54.
OHCHR was informed of reports of drone strikes in parts of the country with
allegations of civilian casualties. The attacks are believed to have been conducted by joint
forces of the United States of America and Yemen as part of a campaign against Al-Qaida
in the Arabian Peninsula. OHCHR received reliable information indicating that as many as
40 civilians, including a child, may have been killed during the period under review as a
result of drone attacks in Al-Baida, Al-Jawf, Marib and Shabwah. According to a Yemeni
non-governmental organization, a one-year-old boy and two adults were killed on 26
January 2015 after a Yemeni Air Force drone struck a vehicle at Huraib (in Marib
Governorate). The victims were in a car reportedly suspected of transporting members of
Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. No official investigation had been conducted at the end
of the period under review.
B.
Arbitrary detention, allegations of torture and other ill-treatment and
prison conditions
55.
Despite Cabinet decision No. 180 (2012) to release all those detained in relation to
their participation in the uprising 2011 against the former Government of Yemen, 16
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