The US has hailed the announcement from the Arab Coalition to Restore the Legitimacy in Yemen that it will review rules of engagement, hold those at fault accountable and compensate victims of last month’s airstrike that targeted a bus. The announcement came following intelligence reports indicating the vehicle was carrying Houthi leaders, but killed civilians instead. “The United States regards the Saudi-led Coalition’s announcement … as an important first step toward full transparency and accountability,” Heather Nauert, spokesperson of the US State Department, said in a statement.
“We continue to call on all sides to abide by the Law of Armed Conflict, to mitigate harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure, and thoroughly investigate and ensure accountability for any violations. It is imperative that all parties work toward a comprehensive political solution to avoid further harm to the Yemeni people.”
Mansour Ahmed Al-Mansour, the legal adviser to the Joint Incidents Assessment Team (JIAT), earlier said that while the Saada strike was based on intelligence, the delays in executing the strike and receiving a no-strike order must be investigated.
“The team believes that the coalition forces should immediately review the application of their rules of engagement to ensure compliance...” Al-Mansour said.
The coalition’s Joint Forces Command has expressed regret over the mistake and accepted the JIAT’s results and findings, reaffirmed its commitment to international humanitarian laws and pledged to continue “applying the rules of engagement in accordance with the highest international standards and practices, which will guarantee respect of the law and the preservation of civilian lives and possessions.”
Meanwhile, the State Department reiterated its full support for Martin Griffiths, the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, who is preparing to convene warring factions in Geneva for a first round of consultations to end conflict in the war-torn country.
“We fully support UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths as he prepares to convene parties in Geneva. All sides must engage constructively and in good faith in order to work toward a secure, stable, and peaceful Yemen,” Nauert said a statement.
US hails coalition statement on bus incident in Yemen as ‘important first step’ towards full transparency
US hails coalition statement on bus incident in Yemen as ‘important first step’ towards full transparency
- ‘The United States regards the Saudi-led Coalition’s announcement … as an important first step toward full transparency and accountability’
- The coalition’s Joint Forces Command has expressed regret over the mistake
Slain son of former Libya ruler Qaddafi to be buried near capital
- The burial will be held on Friday in the town of Bani Walid some 175 kilometers south of Tripoli, two of his brothers said
TRIPOLI: The slain son of former Libyan ruler Muammar Qaddafi will be buried in a town south of the capital that remains loyal to the family, relatives said Thursday.
Seif Al-Islam Qaddafi, once seen by some as Libya’s heir apparent, was shot dead on Tuesday in the northwestern city of Zintan.
The burial will be held on Friday in the town of Bani Walid some 175 kilometers south of Tripoli, two of his brothers said.
“The date and location of his burial have been decided by mutual agreement among the family,” half-brother Mohamed Qaddafi said in a Facebook post.
Mohamed said the plan reflected “our respect” for the town, which has remained loyal to the elder Qaddafi years after he was toppled and killed in the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings.
Each year, the town of about 100,000 celebrates the anniversary of a 1969 coup that brought Muammar to power, parading through the streets holding the ex-leader’s portrait.
Saadi Qaddafi, a younger brother, said his dead sibling will be “buried among the Werfalla,” an influential local tribe, in a grave next to his brother Khamis Qaddafi, who died during the 2011 unrest.
Marcel Ceccaldi, a French lawyer who had been representing Seif Al-Islam, told AFP he was killed by an unidentified “four-man commando” who stormed his house on Tuesday.
Seif Al-Islam had long been widely seen as his father’s heir. Under the elder Qaddafi’s iron-fisted 40-year rule, he was described as the de facto prime minister, cultivating an image of moderation and reform despite holding no official position.
But that reputation soon collapsed when he promised “rivers of blood” in retaliation for the 2011 uprising.
He was arrested that year on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity, and a Tripoli court later sentenced him to death, although he was later granted amnesty.
In 2021 he announced he would run for president but the elections were indefinitely postponed.
He is survived by four out of six siblings: Mohamed, Saadi, Aicha and Hannibal, who was recently released from a Lebanese prison on bail.
Libya has struggled to recover from chaos that erupted after the 2011 uprising. It remains split between a UN-backed government based in Tripoli and an eastern administration backed by Khalifa Haftar.
