Consultant Mansour Ahmed Al-Mansour, official spokesman of the Joint Incidents Assessment Team (JIAT) on Yemen, held here today a press conference, announcing the results reached by the joint incidents assessment team in Yemen with regard to the latest allegations against the coalition forces military operations in the field. With regard to the fourth report on activities of the National Committee to investigate human rights violations in Yemen, stating that at about 05:45 am on 11/05/2015, the (Dahi) neighbourhood of (Almudhaffar) District was shelled with four missiles by aircrafts belonging to the Arab Coalition. One missile fell on a house and the second missile fell beside (Alsunnah) mosque killing 14 persons and injuring five others. The Joint Incidents Assessment Team has vetted the possibility of the incident, and following verification of all related documents; including procedures and Rules of Engagement, Daily Mission Schedule, After Mission Report, satellite imagery, evidence evaluation, video recordings of the performed mission, satellite images, provisions and principles of the International Humanitarian Law "IHL" and its Customary Rules, and assessment of the evidences including the intelligence relied on and their sources, JIAT found out that on Sunday 10/05/2015, highly reliable intelligence informed of: 1. Gathering of Houthi armed militia combatants and ex-president's forces, 2. The presence of equipment and machinery belonging to Houthi militia, 3. Sites of air defence missiles and armouries at specified locations, all in Taiz Governorate And that, the situation requires neutralizing them, as legitimate military targets which their destruction will achieve a military advantage As stated in Article 52 Para 2 of the first additional protocol of Geneva Conventions. By exercising verification of the military targets as in Article 16 of IHL Customary Rules, the Coalition forces launched an air mission on 4 (specified) targets at 06:10 on Monday 11/05/ 2015, using four guided bombs that hit their targets which were the gathering of Houthi armed militia and ex-president's forces, as well as their equipment, machinery and, air defence missiles and armouries in Taiz Governorate. The nearest to the house clamed was about 240 meters away. By reviewing the documents of the military operation launched, including the video recordings of the performed mission and the satellite imagery of the location, JIAT found that the bombs hit their targets. The Satellite images taken on 23/05/2015 which is 12 days after the allegation's date showed that the houses, which their coordinates are stated in the claim, are free from any effects of aerial bombardment. In the light of that, JIAT concluded that the Coalition air forces have not targeted the claimed (houses) at Almudhaffar District, Taiz Governorate. --More 19:25 LOCAL TIME 16:25 GMT 0032 www.spa.gov.sa/1914206
