CAIRO: A prominent international rights group says Houthi rebels have stored explosives in a warehouse in a residential area in the capital that caught fire last month, killing at least 15 children and wounding more than 100 people.
The New York-based Human Rights Watch and an independent Yemeni rights organization released a joint statement on Thursday urging the Houthis to “stop storing large concentrations of volatile materials in densely populated areas.”
In Yemen’s civil war, the Iran-backed Houthis have been fighting a Saudi-led military coalition backing Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi's forces since March 2015.
The Houthis control the capital, Sanaa.
The statement said the initial cause of the fire remains unknown.
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Group accuses Yemen rebels of storing weapons near civilians
Group accuses Yemen rebels of storing weapons near civilians
- Rights groups asked Houthi militants to stop storing unstable materials in civilian areas
- Houthi militants control the capital Sanaa
Jordan begins implementing Royal directives to modernize Arab Army
- On Saturday, it was reported that King Abdullah had announced the strategy
AMMAN: Jordan’s Armed Forces have begun implementing royal directives from King Abdullah II aimed at restructuring and modernizing the Arab Army to strengthen its operational readiness and ability to meet evolving security challenges, it was announced on Sunday.
The overhaul is designed to sharpen combat capabilities and establish a streamlined, flexible force equipped to operate across varied environments, while adapting to the demands of modern and unconventional warfare, the Jordan News Agency reported.
The directives called for closer alignment between organizational structures and operational needs, alongside upgrades to command, control and communications systems.
They also urged stronger integration across military branches and units, as well as expanded use of advanced technologies, including unmanned systems and cyber capabilities.
Plans also include reinforcing reserve forces, improving logistics to ensure reliable supply chains, and supporting Jordan’s defense industries to enhance self-sufficiency and efficiency.
In a statement, the Jordanian Armed Forces said they were fully committed to carrying out the royal directives as part of a broader strategic vision to raise professionalism and preparedness.
On Saturday, it was reported that King Abdullah had announced a strategy “to achieve a structural transformation in the armed forces over the course of the next three years,” Petra said.
In a letter to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the King wrote: “Our Arab Army is a national institution that every Jordanian is proud of.”
“We must examine the requirements for modernizing and developing our Armed Forces, while restructuring them to keep pace with combat demands within various environments of operation,” the king wrote.
The king also said the army must have sufficient reserve forces reinforced with the necessary capabilities.
“Our Armed Forces must have sufficient reserve forces, equipped with the various needed capabilities to execute their operations efficiently.”
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