Official Spokesman of the Joint Incidents Assessment Team (JIAT) in Yemen Legal Counsellor Mansour Al-Mansour has refuted a number of claims raised by global bodies and international organizations on errors allegedly committed by the Coalition Forces to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen during their military operations inside Yemen. In a press conference held at the Armed Forces Officers Club in Riyadh today, Al-Mansour reviewed the results of assessing four incidents included in those claims as follows: "With regard to the statement issued by the Resident Coordinator and the Coordinator of Humanitarian Affairs in Yemen dated (29 July 2018), which included that there were air strikes on (26,27,28, July 2018) that damaged the sewage facility in (Zabid). JIAT vetted the incident, and reviewed all documents, including air tasking orders, daily mission schedule, mission execution procedures, after mission reports, satellite images, Coalition Forces rules of engagement, provisions and principles of International Humanitarian Law and its customary rules, and after assessment of evidences, JIAT found (Zabid) city is located in the north of (Zabid) directorate, which is a directorate of (Al-Hudaydah) governorate, the claim details did not mention (name of the facility, the coordinate of its location, the timing of the targeting). By studying the air missions carried out by the Coalition Forces on (26-27-28/07/2018) which are the dates of the claim, JIAT found the following: 1. On (26/07/2018) Coalition Forces did not carry out any air missions in (zabid) directorate of (Al-Hudaydah) governorate, and that the closest air mission was on a military target in (Bajil) directorate, (88) kms away from (zabid) city. 2. On (27/07/2018) Coalition Forces did not carry out any air missions in (zabid) directorate of (Al-Hudaydah) governorate, and that the closest air mission was on a military target in (Al-Tuhayta) directorate, (15) kms away from (zabid) city. 3. On (28/07/2018) Coalition Forces did not carry out any air missions in (zabid) directorate of (Al-Hudaydah) governorate, and that the closest air mission was on a military target in (Al-Tuhayta) directorate, (14) kms away from (zabid) city. JIAT specialists studied the after mission report of the missions carried out on (26-27-28/07/2018), which were outside (zabid) directorate, and found that the bombs hit their targets. In light of that, JIAT found that Coalition Forces did not target the sewage facility in (Zabid) directorate of (Al-Hudaydah) governorate on (26-27-28/07/2018) as stated in the claim. With regard to what was observed by JIAT in the media, that the Coalition Forces targeted the navigation tower at (Sana'a) airport on (14/11/2017). JIAT vetted the incident, and reviewed all documents, including air tasking orders, daily mission schedule, mission execution procedures, after mission reports, video recordings of the executed mission, intelligence reports, satellite images, Coalition Forces rules of engagement, provisions and principles of International Humanitarian Law and its customary rules, and after assessment of evidences, JIAT found the following: 1. (Sana'a) airport is divided into two parts, civilian part in the east side of the runway, and military part (Al-Dailami Air Base) in the west side of the runway 2. Coalition Forces received intelligence information concerning the electronic capabilities of Al-Houthi Armed Militia, in several locations including (a radar) belongs to (Al-Dailami Air Base), used to detect and track Coalition aircrafts for the purpose of targeting them with air defence systems belonging to Al-Houthi Armed Militia. The degrees of verification were available through the electronic surveillance reports that confirmed a presence of military activity of a radar site belongs to (Al-Dailami Air Base), used to detect and track Coalition aircrafts for the purpose of targeting them with air defence systems belonging to Al-Houthi Armed Militia, based on rule (16) of customary international humanitarian law, which is considered to be a legitimate military target, that the targeting of it would achieve a concrete, direct and certain military advantage, based on Article (52) of the First Additional Protocol of the Geneva Conventions and rule (8) of customary international humanitarian Law. Therefore on (14/11/2017) at (08:00) am, Coalition Forces carried out an air mission on a legitimate military target that belongs to (Al-Dailami Air Base), used to detect and track Coalition aircrafts, for the purpose of targeting them with air defence systems belonging to Al-Houthi Armed Militia, using a single guided bomb that hit its target. The Coalition Forces have taken the possible precautions to avoid accidental loss or damage to civilian and civilian objects, or in any case, minimize it to the lowest possible, during the planning and execution of the military operation through the following: 1. Ensuring no civilian nor civilian objects at the military target site before and during the targeting. 2. Using one guided bomb which commensurate with the size of the target. Based on article (57) of the First Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions, and rules (15) and (17) of customary international humanitarian law. JIAT specialists studied the satellite images of the military target site (radar), dated after the date of the claim, the following was found: 1. The radar is located in vacant area, and away from civilian objects. 2. Traces of aerial targeting were observed on the military target (radar). By studying the video recordings of the mission carried out JIAT found the following: 1. No civilians were observed before and during the targeting. 2. The aim was on the military target. 3. the bomb hit its target directly. In light of that JIAT found that Coalition Forces did not target the (navigation tower) of the claim, and that the procedures taken by Coalition Forces, in dealing with the legitimate military target (radar) that belongs to (Al-Dailami Air Base), used to detect and track Coalition aircrafts for the purpose of targeting them with air defence systems belonging to Al-Houthi Armed Militia, were correct and in accordance with the International Humanitarian Law and its customary rules. With regard to what was received by JIAT during its field visit to Yemen on (March 2021) that on (30/03/2015), specifically at (8:15) p.m., (group of youth in Al-Ahmadi neighbourhood) gathered in the corner of the neighbourhood, during which Coalition aircraft bombed the youth gathering in (Al-Ahmadi neighbourhood) in (Khormaksar) directorate of (Aden) governorate. JIAT vetted the incident, and reviewed all documents, including air tasking orders, daily mission schedule, mission execution procedures, after mission reports, satellite images, the field visit by members of JIAT to Yemen and inspection of the claimed site, Coalition Forces rules of engagement, provisions and principles of International Humanitarian Law and its customary rules, and after assessment of evidences, JIAT found that the claimed location was on a side street, beside a fenced vacant lot, in (Al-Ahmadi neighbourhood) in (Khormaksar) directorate of (Aden) governorate. By studying the air missions carried out by the Coalition Forces on (30/03/2015) which is the date of the claim, JIAT found that the Coalition Forces did not carry out any air missions in (Khormaksar) directorate of (Aden) governorate, and that the closest air mission to the claim location was on a military target in (Lahj) governorate, (18.5) kms away from the claimed location. By studying the air missions carried out by the Coalition Forces the day before and the day after the date of the claim, JIAT found the following: 1. On (29/03/2015) the day before the claimed date, Coalition Forces did not carry out any air missions in (Khormaksar) directorate of (Aden) governorate, and that the closest military target the Coalition Forces dealt with was (137) kms away from the location of the claim. 2. On (31/03/2015) the day after the claimed date, Coalition Forces did not carry out any air missions in (Khormaksar) directorate of (Aden) governorate, and that the closest military target the Coalition Forces dealt with was in (Lahj) governorate, (17) kms away from the location of the claim. JIAT specialists studied the satellite images of the claimed location, and it was found that the closest satellite image was dated (02/04/2015), with no signs of damage resulting from air targeting at the claimed location. JIAT specialists visited (Khormaksar) directorate of (Aden) governorate, and inspected the claimed location, with no signs of damage resulting from air targeting at the claimed location. In light of that, JIAT found that Coalition Forces did not target (group of youth in Al-Ahmadi neighbourhood) in (Khormaksar) directorate of (Aden) governorate on (30/03/2015) as claimed. With regard to the statement issued by the Resident Coordinator and the Coordinator of Humanitarian Affairs in Yemen dated (28 January 2021) that civilian casualties and damage to homes and farms in (Hays) and (Alduraihimi) during the period (20-27 January 2021). JIAT vetted the incident, and reviewed all documents, including air tasking orders, daily mission schedule, daily missions of the Coalition Surface Forces, satellite images, Coalition Forces rules of engagement, provisions and principles of International Humanitarian Law and its customary rules, and after assessment of evidences, JIAT found that (Hays) directorate and (Alduraihimi) directorate are located in (Al-Hudaydah) governorate, (Hays) directorate and (Alduraihimi) directorate are (63) km apart. By studying the air missions carried out by the Coalition Forces during the period (20-27/01/2021) which is the period of the claim, JIAT found that Coalition Forces did not carry out any air mission in (Al-Hudaydah) governorate. By studying the daily missions carried out by the Coalition surface Forces during the period (20-27/01/2021) which is the period of the claim, JIAT found that Coalition Surface Forces did not carry out any firing in (Al-Hudaydah) governorate. In light of that, JIAT found that Coalition Forces is not responsible for civilian casualties and damage to homes and farms in (Hays) directorate and (Alduraihimi) directorate of (Al-Hudaydah) governorate, during the period (20-27/01/2021) as stated in the claim.
