Coalition Denies Targeting a Houthi Detention Center in Saada

The Saudi-led Coalition denied targeting a detention center in the Yemeni governorate of Saada, the Houthis' stronghold.

This came after the Houthis claimed that the alleged attack killed more than 77 persons and injured dozens.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Coalition stated that "media reports about targeting a detention center in Saada are unfounded". 

The statement accused the Houthis of misinformation.

On Friday, the Houthis accused the Coalition of raiding the Reserve Prison in Saada. Media outlets affiliated with the group claimed that the raid killed and injured 200 inmates.

The International Committee of the Red Cross's spokesman in Yemen Basheer Omar said that on Friday there were "over 100 casualties (dead and injured) in a detention center in Saada". [1] 

 

Omar pointed out that the "number of casualties is increasing" based on the numbers of the dead and wounded who arrived at two hospitals supported by the Committee in Saada, Al- Joumhouria and Al-Talh. 

UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutirish, on Friday, condemned the air strikes, accusing the Coalition of carrying out them in Saada , in a statement issued by the Secretary-General Stefan Dogarik.

The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has also called for de-escalation.

This came in conjunction with a statement issued by the UN Security Council which condemned the Houthi attacks against civilian objects in Abu Dhabi days earlier.

The statement stressed the importance of achieving justice against everyone who planned, funded, supported and implemented  those heinous terrorist acts". 

The Security Council called on all countries, in accordance with their international obligations, to cooperate with the UAE to punish the perpetrators.

The Arab Coalition launches ongoing raids against areas under the Houthi control in North Yemen. The Houthis claimed that those raids killed civilians while the Coalition said that it targeted legitimate military objectives.

Amid growing concerns about the increase number of violations against civilians by all parties, the Houthis threatened to respond to the raids, one of which killed a prominent military official in their ranks, hours after targeting Abu Dhabi.