US-Backed Saudi Coalition in Yemen Admits ‘Technical Mistake’ Killed Civilians

After an airstrike by the U.S.-backed, Saudi-led coalition in Yemen killed at least 14 people – including six children – on Friday, the alliance admitted responsibility.

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"A technical mistake was behind the accident," said the group’s statement, which was published by the official Saudi Press Agency on Saturday.

Colonel Turki al-Malki, the coalition’s spokesman, added that they regretted “the collateral damage caused by this involuntary accident and offers its condolences to the families and relatives of the victims."

But, they also deflected blame by accusing Houthis of "setting up a command and communications center in the middle of this residential area to use civilians as human shields."

Friday’s attack came just days after 35 people were killed by airstrikes that struck the northern part of Sanaa. The resulting carnage led to mass protests in the streets of the Yemeni capital against the bloody campaign waged by the Saudis.

A raid, carried out the same day, on civilians outraged human rights organizations worldwide.

The International Committee of the Red Cross condemned it as "outrageous".

While, Lynn Maalouf – the Middle East research director of Amnesty International – said the coalition had "rained down bombs on civilians while they slept," and called for the United Nations to take action against Saudi Arabia for its civilian casualties in Yemen.

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According to the World Health Organization, some 8,400 civilians have been killed and another 47,800 wounded since the alliance intervention began. Widespread infrastructural damage and an ongoing blockade, preventing medical supplies from reaching Houthi-controlled areas, has also led to a cholera outbreak that is believed to have left at least 2,000 dead since April.

As such, on Saturday, a number civil society groups in Yemen called on the United Nations to establish an international independent joint commission to probe human rights violations inside the country.