A/HRC/42/CRP.1 854. The Group of Experts has reasonable grounds to believe that all parties to the conflict have failed to respect cultural property as required by international humanitarian law. While the Group of Experts was unable to determine whether the destruction of the mosque by the coalition in the Craiter area involved a violation of the principles of distinction, proportionality or precaution, it appears that the mosque in al-Hudaydah was destroyed by the Giants Brigades in the absence of any military necessity, hence in violation of international humanitarian law. This act may trigger individual criminal responsibility for the war crime of intentionally directing an attack against a historical building dedicated to religion. The Houthis, in using the museums in both Ta’izz and Aden for military activities, have triggered their partial destruction by removing their protection and turning them into military objectives, which amounts to a violation of the obligation to respect cultural property and take special care to avoid damage to the latter. It remains unclear whether the respective strikes on the museums by the Resistance forces and the coalition were compliant with the conditions set forth by the Second Protocol to the 1954 Hague Convention regarding waiver on the basis of imperative military necessity. 1385 3. Situations of concern 855. The Group of Experts is concerned with regard to the situation of the old town of Zabid, capital of Yemen from the 13th to the 15th century, and the archipelago of Socotra, both listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites. 856. The conflict has created conditions that have put at riskcultural property throughout Yemen. In Zabid, for example, the Group of Experts received reports that a large collection of more than 1,000 manuscripts was removed from the Zabid museum, and there are concerns over their protection and maintenance. This is one of many examples of information received by the Group of Experts of how the conflict has prompted confusion, mismanagement and disputes over how to deal with Yemeni cultural property. 1386 857. The conflict has not spared the archipelago of Socotra, located at the crossroads between the Horn of Africa and the Gulf of Aden. Considered as a site of outstanding universal importance because of its biodiversity with rich and distinct flora and fauna, Socotra was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2008. Since the end of 2015, the island has reportedly been under varying levels of control by the UAE. According to information received by the Group,1387 Socotra has since been subjected to substantive environmental degradation, looting and spoiling, including from construction projects by the UAE. X. 1. Accountability Introduction 858. This section examines the mechanisms available to hold parties to the armed conflict accountable for the international law violations described in this report, in particular with respect to those which may lead to individual responsibility for international crimes. (a) Responsibility of parties to an armed conflict 859. Parties to an armed conflict are required to take measures to prevent the commission of violations of international humanitarian law and to suppress those violations that have taken place: (a) Preventive action: Measures need to be taken by the parties to a conflict to ensure that fighters in particular are aware of applicable law 1388; 1385 Art. 6, Second Protocol to the 1954 Hague Convention. Confidential Sources on File; see also ICRC Statement at: https://www.icrc.org/en/document/yemen-citys-architectural-connection-islam-risk-fighting-nears 1387 Confidential Sources on File. 1388 See generally ICRC Study on customary IHL, rule 142. 1386 205