The Official Spokesman for the Joint Incident Assessment Team (JIAT) in Yemen, Legal Adviser Mansour Al-Mansour refuted a number of allegations made by UN agencies, international organizations and media outlets, alleging mistakes made by the coalition forces to support legitimacy, in Yemen, during its military operations inside Yemen. Al-Mansour reviewed, during a press conference held by the Armed Forces Officers Club here today, the results of the evaluation of four incidents included in those allegations With regard to the statement of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights issued on (12/02/2018), which includes that on (04/02/2018) three air strikes hit a building (Ministry of Interior) in (Thahban) neighborhood in (Bani Al-Harith) directorate of the capital (Sana'a), eight civilians including a woman and a child were killed and (32) others were injured, the statement also stated that UN human rights monitors who visited the scene, said there did not appear to be any military objects near the building, which had previously been hit in (06/01/2016). The JIAT vetted the incident, and reviewed all documents, including procedures and rules of engagement, daily mission schedule, after mission report, video recordings of the mission, satellite images, provisions and principles of International Humanitarian Law and its customary rules, and assessment of evidences, JIAT found that Coalition Forces received intelligence information indicating that Al-Houthi armed militia seized the (General Department of Criminal Evidence), and used it as a weapons depot to support its military operations, which is considered to be a legitimate military target that its destruction would achieve a military advantage based on Article (52) paragraph (2) of the First Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions. Periodic intelligence reports shows the establishment of an armed checkpoint belonging to Al-Houthi armed militia on the road opposite the (General Department of Criminal Evidence) to prevent civilians from approaching and entering the building, and with the availability of verification degrees where Coalition forces intensified surveillance activities, which confirmed military activities at the site in the morning of the targeting, consisting of armed vehicles and a gathering of combatants around them, it was confirmed that there were no movements of civilians around the building, based on the customary rule (16) of customary International Humanitarian Law, the legal protection of the civilian objects the (General Department of Criminal Evidence) was lost for the seizure of it by Al-Houthi armed militia, and the use of it to support the war effort, in accordance with Article (52), paragraph (3) of the First Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions. At (10:10) am on Sunday (04/02/2018), Coalition Forces conducted an aerial mission on a weapons depot in the (General Department of Criminal Evidence) building, using two guided bombs that hit their targets. by studying the video of the targeting, it was clear that the two bombs hit their targets, and thus achieved the desired military advantage. The claim included that the building in question was targeted earlier (6/1/2016), JIAT reviewed the daily mission schedule on (6/1/2016), and found that the Coalition Forces did not perform any air missions on (building) of the claim. In light of that, JIAT found that the procedures taken by Coalition Forces in dealing with the legitimate military target, weapons depot in the (General Department of Criminal Evidence) building, in in the Capital (Sana'a) were correct and in accordance with the International Humanitarian Law and its customary rules, and that the Coalition Forces did not target the same building on (6/1/2016). --More 19:28 LOCAL TIME 16:28 GMT 0032 www.spa.gov.sa/2012414
