The Saudi-led Arab Coalition fighting Houthis in Yemen, has started an investigation into the deadly strike on a school bus in Yemen’s North, Saudi media reported.
The Arab coalition cited a high-ranking source in the report.
On Thursday, an airstrike carried out by the coalition in Saada, Yemen’s Northern Province, hit a bus carrying children from a summer camp.
According to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), 51 people, including 40 minors, were killed and 79 more, including 56 minors, were injured.
“The command of the coalition has started an investigation into the reports made by the media and a number of websites of the humanitarian organisations, working in Yemen concerning one of the coalition’s operations in Saada province.
“The coalition is also investigating the data on the consequential damage caused to the passenger bus during this operation,’’ a source quoted by the Al Arabiya TV channel as saying.
He added that the coalition pledged to conduct investigations into all incidents involving allegations of wrongdoing and violations of international law while stressing that it was making “every effort to protect civilians’’.
The coalition reported earlier that Thursday’s airstrikes in Saada were targeted at the Houthi militants, who had previously tried to attack the southwestern Saudi port city of Jazan with a ballistic missile.
For several years, Yemen has been experiencing a violent conflict between the government and the Houthi rebels.
In March 2015, the conflict escalated as the Saudi-led coalition started carrying out airstrikes against Houthis at the government’s request.
The rebel movement has repeatedly launched missiles from the Yemeni territory, targeting different cities in Saudi Arabia. (Sputnik/NAN)
