U.N. report on Yemen says Houthis used human shields, Islamic State got cash

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quote](Reuters) - Yemen's Houthi rebels used civilians as human shields, Islamic State militants in the country received an influx of cash and al Qaeda has improved its roadside bombs, according to a confidential report by United Nations experts monitoring sanctions on Yemen.

The 105-page report to the U.N. Security Council, seen by Reuters on Thursday, also said a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia had violated international humanitarian law by bombing a civilian home in Al-Mahala village in May, and the monitors were investigating three other cases in which civilians were bombed.

The midterm report covered the past six months. The experts noted that they have been unable to travel to the Arabian Peninsula country so they gathered information remotely.

"The panel has documented violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law committed by the Houthi-Saleh forces, the Saudi Arabia-led coalition and forces affiliated to the legitimate Government of Yemen," the panel said in the report. Saudi Arabia has said it is committed to international humanitarian law.

The mostly Sunni Arab alliance intervened in Yemen's civil war in March last year to support the government and fight forces loyal to ex-President Ali Abdullah Saleh and the Houthi movement, which it has accused of being a proxy for Shiite arch-rival Iran.

The report on the implementation of an arms embargo and targeted sanctions on Saleh and four Houthi leaders has been submitted to the 15-member U.N. Security Council sanctions committee. The Security Council imposed an arms embargo on Houthi rebels and soldiers loyal to Saleh in April 2015.

Being put on the U.N. blacklist triggers a travel ban and asset freeze.

The U.N. sanctions committee will use information from the expert panel to decide if additional people or groups should be blacklisted for "engaging in or providing support for acts that threaten the peace, security or stability of Yemen."

A Saudi-led coalition investigation into air strikes on markets, clinics and a wedding in Yemen on Thursday largely defended the attacks on the grounds that armed militias were at the sites. ...[/quote]

REUTERS

War board?