The creation of an independent assessment team and the fostering
of active partnerships with relief organizations are two of the steps
a Saudi-led coalition is taking to protect Yemeni civilians during a
military crisis in the country, the Saudi Arabian Embassy in
Washington reported recently.
As part of a larger effort
to uphold international humanitarian law and protect civilians, the
Arab Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen is working to prevent
civilian casualties in an ongoing war zone and is committed to
safeguarding Yemen’s urban centers, the embassy said.
The
coalition’s Joint Incidents Assessment Team (JIAT), composed of
military members, weapons experts and legal specialists in
humanitarian rights, exists to review coalition activities to help
avoid civilian deaths. The JIAT examines activity reports from
incidents known to have led to civilian casualties and offers
recommendations for ways to avoid future incidents.
The
coalition is also working alongside United Nations agencies and the
International Committee of the Red Cross to reduce harm to civilians,
medical personnel, journalists and relief organizations.
