RIYADH – Col. Turki Al-Maliki, spokesman for the Coalition forces supporting legitimacy in Yemen, confirmed that there is a strong relationship between Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and the Iran-backed Houthi terrorist militias, especially following the coup against the legitimate government in Yemen. Al-Maliki pointed to the successful qualitative operation carried out inside Yemen that led to the arrest of the emir of Al-Qaeda in Yemen known as Abu Osama Al-Muhajir, the financial controller of the organization and several members of the organization accompanying him early last month. Addressing a press conference in Riyadh on Monday evening, he said the coalition forces are continuing to eliminate Al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations. Al-Maliki also referred to the state of the operations to Restore Hope to support the legitimacy within Yemen and Al-Houthi breaches and threats to regional and international security on one hand, targeting Houthi capabilities through the support of the Yemeni army. The coalition spokesman noted that Houthi terrorist militia has continued to violate international humanitarian law by targeting notable civilians, both citizens and residents of Saudi Arabia and inside Yemen, by means of exploding drones. He explained that Iranian weapons and support for Al-Houthi terrorist militia threaten regional and international security, indicating that the continuation of the work of relief outlets in Yemen, via air, sea and land, referring to the report of the United Nations Verification and Inspection Organization (UNVIM) in Djibouti. The spokesman for the coalition forces reviewed the efforts of King Salman Humanitarian Aid And Relief Center (KSRelief), the flow of humanitarian aid and the efforts of the Saudi Program for the Development and Reconstruction of Yemen. Meanwhile, the Yemeni Coalition for Monitoring Human Rights Violations in Yemen, called "Rasd" condemned the abuses committed by the Houthi militia against women and children. Muthar Al-Baziji, executive director of Rasd told the UN Human Rights Council that the Iranian-backed Houthi militia in Yemen is committing grave violations against children. He added that the coalition monitored and documented the killing of 250 children with live bullets, the sniping of 152 children and the death of 202 children by explosions of landmines planted by militias over the past four years. He explained that the militia in Yemen committed abuses against women as 204 women were abducted, forcibly hidden and tortured.
