‘Damning evidence of war crimes by the Saudi Arabia-led coalition’

US and UK arms transfers risk fueling further war crimes in northern Yemen: Amnesty

“Damning evidence of war crimes” committed by the Saudi Arabia-led coalition, which is armed by the US and UK among others, urgently calls for an “independent, effective investigation of violations in Yemen” as well as “the suspension of transfers of certain arms,” said Amnesty International in a new report published today.

‘Bombs fall from the sky day and night’: Civilians under fire in northern Yemen examines 13 deadly airstrikes by the coalition in Sa’da, north-eastern Yemen, which killed some 100 civilians, including 59 children. It also documents the use of internationally banned cluster bombs

“This report uncovers yet more evidence of unlawful airstrikes carried out by the Saudi Arabia-led coalition, some of which amount to war crimes. It demonstrates in harrowing detail how crucial it is to stop arms being used to commit serious violations of this kind,” said Donatella Rovera, Amnesty International’s Senior Crisis Response Adviser who headed the organization’s fact-finding mission to Yemen.

“The designation of large, heavily populated areas as military targets and the repeated targeting of civilian homes are telling examples revealing the coalition forces’ flagrant failure to take sufficient precautions to avoid civilian loss of life as required by international humanitarian law,” added Rovera.

At least 59 children were killed in the 13 airstrikes that have been documented by Amnesty International in the Sa’da region between May and July 2015, said the report.

“The world’s indifference to the suffering of Yemeni civilians in this conflict is shocking. The failure of the UN Human Rights Council last week to establish an international investigation into violations committed by all sides is the latest in a series of failures by the international community to address total impunity for perpetrators of serious violations in Yemen.”

The report is post on line: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2015/10/yemen-call-for-suspension-of-arms-transfers-to-coalition-and-accountability-for-war-crimes/

Thousands Killed in Yemen

The death toll from Saudi-led coalition airstrikes and fighting on the ground has now exceeded 5,000 people, including about 2,500 civilians,  since March 26, when Houthi fighters and allied army units forced Yemen’s “corrupt” president to flee the country.

9 in 10 deaths and injuries from explosive weapons in Yemen are civilian: UNOCHA

About 86 percent of the people killed or injured by explosive weapons are civilians, according to a report: “State of crisis: explosive weapons in Yemen,” issued this week by OCHA and NGO Action on Armed Violence (AOAV).

This number rises to 95 per cent when explosive weapons are used in populated areas.

Related Links

• 135 Civilians Killed in Saudi Airstrike on Yemen Wedding September 29, 2015
• Scale of Human Catastrophe in Yemen ‘Almost Incomprehensible’ September 20, 2015
• Global Disasters/ Significant Events – June 7, 2015 Posted on June 7, 2015
• Saudi-led Coalition Using Same Cluster Munition in Yemen as ISIS Fired in Syria May 31, 2015
• Civilian Mass Murders with Impunity Continue in Yemen, Syria, Iraq… May 3, 2015
• Yemen Violence Taking Intolerable Toll on Kids: UNICEF April 7, 2015
• Saudi Air War Massacre Kills Hundreds in Yemen April 3, 2015
• Half a million Yemeni children suffer from acute malnutrition December 28, 2011

1.47 Million Children Forced to Flee Conflict in Nigeria, Region

Child refugee crisis in Nigeria, neighboring countries

Deadly attacks by the armed group Boko Haram has uprooted 500,000 children since March 2015, bringing the total number of children on the run in northeast Nigeria and neighboring countries to about 1.47 million, reported UNICEF.

Nearly 1.2 million children—over half of them under 5 years old—have been uprooted in northern Nigeria, while an additional 265,000 children have been forced to flee their homes in Cameroon, Chad and Niger, said the report.

• More than 124,000 children affected by the conflict have NOT been immunized against measles.
• At least 83,000 still lack access to safe water
• Over 208,000 are out of school.

Global Disasters/ Significant Events – March 4, 2015

Disasters affect more than 1.3 million people in Colombia

Human-enhanced natural disasters affected 1,334,029 people across Colombia Between January 2014 and February 2015.

Severe drought in the Caribbean and Andean regions affected more than 729,000 of the total, while widespread flooding in other regions affected about 296,000 others, reported UN OCHA.

“For 2015, there is a likelihood for continuing dry conditions. The extremely dry season has led to drought, water shortages, forest fires and access constraints due to low river levels,” said the report.

An estimated 124,000 people displaced by conflict across Mindanao in 2014

Armed conflict, clan feuds and widespread violence has caused multiple displacements across Mindanao from starting 2012, UN reported.

In 2014, an estimated 124,000 people were displaced by conflict according to the Protection Cluster.
Currently, more than 100,000 people are directly affected
by conflict each year.

By January 2015, at least 77,000 people were still
without lasting solutions including some 30,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) in Zamboanga City.

UN Figures:  Displacement in Central Mindanao

Number of affected people: 69,700
Number of IDPs in evacuation centers: 46,400
Number of evacuation centers: 45
Number of house-based IDPs: 17,200

Zamboanga Crisis

Number of IDPs evacuation centers: 6,700
Number of IDPs in transitional sites: 12,400
Number of house-based IDPs: 11,300

Iraq violence kills more than 1,100 in February: UNAMI

Some 1,103 people weer killed in Iraq last month, including 611 civilians, said the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) in a statement.

At least 2,280 people, including 1,353 civilians, were wounded across Iraq last month, added UNAMI.

Baghdad was worst hit by the violence with at least 329 people dead and 875 others wounded, said the report.

January’s death toll was at least 1,375, including 790 civilians, said UNAMI.

The UN figures do not include the casualties in Iraqi regions held by ISIL terrorists.

Dead or Wounded in 2014

Syria Death Toll

According to various estimates, more than 130,000 people have been killed in Syria and about 2.5 million people have fled their homes since the Saudi-backed destabilization of the country began in March 2011.

Iraq Death Toll

The 2014 death toll in Iraq climbed above the 9,500 mark with about 20,000 wounded in hundreds of violent attacks throughout the war-torn country.

Pakistan Death Toll

About 1,550 people were killed and 4,100 others wounded in hundreds of bomb attacks across Pakistan in 2013.

South Sudan Death Toll

“Thousands” of people have been killed in South Sudan and more than 120,000 others displaced, since heavy fighting began on 15 December, 2013  in South Sudan’s capital Juba and quickly spread to four other states, said UN.

500 Killed, 20,000 Displaced in South Sudan Conflict

More than 20,000 people take refuge in U.N. compound in Juba

Since its independence in 2011, ethnic fighting has plagued the landlocked South Sudan, one of the poorest and least developed countries in Africa.

Thousands of civilians continue to pour into a shelter at the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS) compound on the outskirts of the capital Juba, December 17, 2013.  Source: UN News Center

The United Nations says it has received reports from South Sudan that up to 500 people had been killed and about 800 others wounded in the latest round of violence, and the government said it had arrested 10 politicians in connection with a “foiled coup.”

“Two hospitals have recorded between 400 and 500 dead and [up to] 800 wounded,” a diplomat in New York said on condition of anonymity, citing an estimate United Nations peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous gave during a closed-door briefing for the 15-member body, said a report.

Death toll climbs to 120 in Colombia’s 2nd rainy season

Extreme rain, storms, flooding and landslides continue to wreak havoc across Colombia

Colombia’s second rainy season has left at least 120 dead and affected about a third of a million people since July.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – November 15

[November 15, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,583 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Colombia. Extreme rain, storms, flooding and landslides across Colombia have killed at least 120 and affected about a thirs of a million people since July 1,  OCHA reported, citing SNAPD figures.
• Armed conflict is also causing mass displacements in several areas, especially in southern Córdoba.
• “Civilian population caught between armed confrontations in Cauca. Military operations registered over the past several weeks, which are likely to continue, have had serious consequences for the civilian population trapped by hostilities. Armed confrontations triggered mass displacements and restrictions on mobility and access to vital goods among civilians.
• “Mass displacements in southern Córdoba. During the reporting period, Acción Social reported a new displacement in the department. According to information collected by OCHA, 20 displacements have taken place in Córdoba, through 2011. The figure indicates an increase by 185% in comparison to 2010, with seven mass displacements registered.” OCHA reported.

Related Links

• Deadly mudslides bury western Colombia (Nov 7, 2011)

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities  (EDRO Forecast)
• 2011 Much More Disastrous: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Global Disasters in 2011 Could Impact 1/3 to 1/2 of the Human Population  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)

• 2011 Disaster Calendar – November
• 2011 Disaster Calendar – October
• 2011 Disaster Calendar – September
• 2011 Disaster Calendar – August
• 2010 Disaster Calendar 
• 2011 Disaster Calendar