RIYADH: The Arab Coalition in Yemen’s Joint Incident Assessment Team has refuted allegations made by UN agencies, international organizations and media outlets that coalition forces carried out a deadly attack on a market in the Mundah disctrict of Saada.
Reports by the UN’s humanitarian coordinator in Yemen stated that 10 civilians were killed and 18 injured in a military bombing operation on Souq Al-Raqou on Nov. 20, 2019.
JIAT spokesman Mansour Al-Mansour said investigators reviewed documents, including procedures and rules of engagement, daily mission schedules, post-mission reports, video footage, satellite images, and the provisions and principles of international humanitarian law.
They concluded that the only air mission carried out by coalition forces on Nov. 20 was on a legitimate military target in Al-Jawf governorate, 180 kilometers from Souq Al-Raqou. On Nov. 19, an air mission targeted a legitimate military target in the Baqim district of Saada, 43km from the market. JIAT found no record of air missions in Yemen on Nov. 21. After a review of available photos, it was not clear whether there were any effects caused by aerial targeting of Souq Al-Raqou.
Investigators also visited artillery units on the area to review firing records and found that on the day of the alleged attack, coalition ground forces fired on two military targets, which were 16km and 14km from the souq. A day earlier, forces fired on a military target 14km from Souq Al-Raqou. The day after, they fired at a military target 15km from the market.
JIAT therefore concluded that coalition Forces did not target Souq Al-Raqou on Nov. 20.
