A/HRC/36/33 protection protocols and archiving; training for staff of the Commission on 7 and 8 July 2017 in Amman, Jordan, on international humanitarian law, interviewing techniques, gender and databases. Future activities envisaged include more specialized targeted training workshops. However, those activities are limited by security and logistical constraints. For example, owing to operational constraints — airport closures, abrupt cancellation of flights and restrictions on United Nations travel owing to the deteriorating security situation — the location and dates of the training provided had to be adjusted repeatedly. 16. Additional factors, including political constraints, detrimentally affected the work of the National Commission. The de facto authorities are unwilling to cooperate with and provide access to the Commission, which comprises members appointed by the other party to the conflict, namely the Government of Yemen. The perceived partiality of the Commission and its limited access prevented it from executing its mandate comprehensively. Despite those challenges, the Commission did noteworthy work over the past year and issued a preliminary report covering events from August 2015 to 30 July 2016 and two interim reports covering 31 July 2016 to 31 January 2017 and September 2016 to June 2017. The Commission produced five monthly reports in 2016, which are available on its Arabic website. Of the more than 17,000 human rights violations reportedly documented, the Commission noted the completion of investigations into more than 10,000. In addition to its perceived partiality, the Commission appears to be lacking an instrument or a mandate that would enable it to channel its findings into a credible accountability mechanism. The complete absence of such a process will serve to further consolidate the climate of impunity in Yemen. VI. Human rights situation 17. The population of Yemen continued to suffer the impact of armed conflict and violence along with other serious human rights violations and abuses. Airstrikes and shelling repeatedly struck areas populated by civilians. People faced continuing hardships owing to limited or no access to food and other basic goods, health care and education — circumstances caused by the parties to the conflict who had besieged cities, blockaded seaports and closed airports. Forced displacement and restrictions on movement, exacerbated by the presence of snipers or landmines, directly affected civilians, causing deaths, injuries, destruction of property, loss of livelihoods and prevention of access to essential services. Civilians who spoke out or otherwise opposed the parties to the conflict were subjected to harassment, intimidation, detention and, on occasion, torture and killing. Women, children, religious and social minorities, refugees, and internally displaced persons were disproportionately affected. 18. In the past year, conflict along the west coast of Yemen raised serious human rights concerns. During intense clashes in Al-Mukha over two weeks in late January and early February 2017, civilians were caught between the conflicting instructions of warring parties. Houthi/Saleh forces instructed civilians not to leave their homes while proGovernment forces demanded that they evacuate. OHCHR verified incidents of Houthi/Saleh snipers shooting at civilians trying to flee, which may indicate an attempt to use civilians as human shields, in violation of international humanitarian law. 8 OHCHR verified that at least 32 civilians were killed or injured over the two weeks of fighting, and more than 200 homes were damaged or destroyed. 19. Since February 2017, tension has risen in anticipation of similar armed operations against Al-Hudaydah. According to information gathered by OHCHR, airstrikes and attacks on boats at sea off the shores of Al-Hudaydah caused at least 98 civilian casualties (52 killed and 46 injured) over three weeks in March and April 2017. There are fears that a fullscale operation on Al-Hudaydah may lead to significant civilian casualties and increased displacement, while likely rendering the port inoperative, further limiting access to food, medicines, fuel and other supplies. The impact would be felt far beyond Al-Hudaydah, as most of the country is supplied by goods shipped through the port. 8 See International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), rule 97. 5