Saudi Arabia today said it would relax its 18-month air blockade of Yemen&#39;s rebel-held areas to facilitate the evacuation of hundreds of wounded from last week&#39;s funeral air strike, international news agency AFP reported.&nbsp;

An air strike on a funeral ceremony in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa killed more than 140 people on October 8 and left more than 525 injured.&nbsp;

The air raid &nbsp;occurred in the southern part of the city when a wake was taking place for the father of the administration&#39;s interior minister, Jalal al-Roweishan, who had died of natural causes on Friday, according to Reuters.&nbsp;

It was one of the deadliest attacks since a Saudi-led coalition launched a bombing campaign against the Huthi Shi&#39;ite in March last year.

More than 300 are in critical condition and need medical treatment abroad, the spokesman for the rebel-run health authority in Sanaa, Tamim al-Shami has been quoted as saying by AFP.&nbsp;

King Salman instructed aid officials to coordinate with the coalition and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government &quot;to facilitate the evacuation of those wounded... and needing treatment abroad,&quot; the official Saudi Press Agency reported.

According to the state media, the kingdom expressed &#39;deep regret&#39; over the attack in a letter to the United Nations.&nbsp;

UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Sunday called for an impartial and independent probe into the raids, demanding that the perpetrators face justice.

The coalition has enforced an air and sea blockade on rebel areas since the start of its bombing campaign, with exceptions made only for UN flights and UN-supervised aid deliveries, most of them through the Red Sea port of Hodeida, AFP said.

Houthi rebels had accused the Arab coalition of Saturday&#39;s attack. The Saudi-led coalition denied any responsibility but promised an investigation into the &#39;regrettable and painful&#39; incident.

The airstrikes came at a time when Saudi Arabia is under increasing international scrutiny over allegations of civilian deaths in its air raids.

Meanwhile, the Yemeni rebels fired a missile at a Saudi air base in Khamis Mushait but was intercepted. This is the second such missile launch since Saturday&#39;s attack.

The area is home to an air base which holds strategic importance for the coalition&#39;s bombing campaign against Houthi Shiite rebels and their allies. It is about 100 kilometres from the Yemeni border.

Air defence forces &quot;intercepted a ballistic missile, launched by the Houthi militias toward the city of Khamis Mushait and destroyed it without any damage,&quot; a coalition statement said.

More than 6,800 people have been killed in Yemen since the coalition started its campaign.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

An air strike on a funeral ceremony in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa killed more than 140 people on October 8

Saudi Arabia today said it would relax its 18-month air blockade of Yemen's rebel-held areas to facilitate the evacuation of hundreds of wounded from last week's funeral air strike, international news agency AFP reported. An air strike on a funeral ceremony in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa killed more than 140 people on October 8 and left more than 525 injured. The air raid occurred in the southern part of the city when a wake was taking place for the father of the administration's interior minister, Jalal al-Roweishan, who had died of natural causes on Friday, according to Reuters. It was one of the deadliest attacks since a Saudi-led coalition launched a bombing campaign against the Huthi Shi'ite in March last year. More than 300 are in critical condition and need medical treatment abroad, the spokesman for the rebel-run health authority in Sanaa, Tamim al-Shami has been quoted as saying by AFP. King Salman instructed aid officials to coordinate with the coalition and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government "to facilitate the evacuation of those wounded... and needing treatment abroad," the official Saudi Press Agency reported. According to the state media, the kingdom expressed 'deep regret' over the attack in a letter to the United Nations. UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Sunday called for an impartial and independent probe into the raids, demanding that the perpetrators face justice. The coalition has enforced an air and sea blockade on rebel areas since the start of its bombing campaign, with exceptions made only for UN flights and UN-supervised aid deliveries, most of them through the Red Sea port of Hodeida, AFP said. Houthi rebels had accused the Arab coalition of Saturday's attack. The Saudi-led coalition denied any responsibility but promised an investigation into the 'regrettable and painful' incident. The airstrikes came at a time when Saudi Arabia is under increasing international scrutiny over allegations of civilian deaths in its air raids. Meanwhile, the Yemeni rebels fired a missile at a Saudi air base in Khamis Mushait but was intercepted. This is the second such missile launch since Saturday's attack. The area is home to an air base which holds strategic importance for the coalition's bombing campaign against Houthi Shiite rebels and their allies. It is about 100 kilometres from the Yemeni border. Air defence forces "intercepted a ballistic missile, launched by the Houthi militias toward the city of Khamis Mushait and destroyed it without any damage," a coalition statement said. More than 6,800 people have been killed in Yemen since the coalition started its campaign. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Saudi Arabia relaxes Yemen air blockade for evacuation of wounded

Former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh, an ally of the Houthi rebels, called for an advance against Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

Saleh spoke a day after an air strike on a funeral ceremony killed more than 140 people in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa.

&quot;I call upon all the sons of this nation ... to face this aggression with all their strength and you must proceed to the battlefronts,&quot; Saleh said in a televised speech, Reuters reported. &quot;The defence ministry, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff and the interior ministry must put in place the necessary measures for battle readiness at the fronts on the (Saudi) border.&quot;

Houthi rebels had accused the Arab coalition of Saturday&#39;s attack that killed and wounded hundreds. The Saudi-led coalition denied any responsibility but promised an investigation into the incident.

&quot;The coalition will immediately investigate this case along with Joint Incidents Assessment Team in Yemen and experts from the United States who participated in previous investigations,&quot; it said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency, reported AFP.

&quot;The coalition is also willing to provide the investigation team with any data and information related to its military operations today, at the incident`s location and the surrounding areas,&quot; it said. &quot;The result of the investigation should be announced as soon as it&#39;s completed.&quot;

UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Sunday called for an impartial and independent probe into the raids, demanding the perpetrators face justice.

&quot;The Secretary-General condemns the attack on an event hall,&quot; said a statement from Ban&#39;s office. &quot;Any deliberate attack against civilians is utterly unacceptable.&quot;

The UN humanitarian coordinator in Yemen, Jamie McGoldrick, said aid workers were &quot;shocked and outraged&quot; by the attacks that hit a community hall in the capital Sanaa where mourners had gathered, AFP reported. He called for an immediate investigation and said the international community must exert pressure to ensure civilians are protected.

White House National Security Council spokesman Ned Price said in a statement that the US has &#39; initiated an immediate review of our already significantly reduced support to the Saudi-led coalition and are prepared to adjust our support so as to better align with US principles, values and interests, including achieving an immediate and durable end to Yemen`s tragic conflict.&#39;

Price called on all sides to implement an immediate ceasefire. &quot;US security cooperation with Saudi Arabia is not a blank check,&quot; he stressed.

The rebel-controlled news site sabanews.net said that the coalition jets hit a building in southern Sana&#39;a where hundreds were mourning the death of the father of an influential local official. Saturday&rsquo;s strike was one of the deadliest attacks since the bombing campaign began in support of Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi.

The airstrikes have come in at a time when Saudi Arabia is under increasing international scrutiny over allegations of civilian deaths in its air raids.

(WION with inputs from agencies)

The Arab coalition has denied any responsibility for the attack even as the US initiated a review of its support to the group

Former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh, an ally of the Houthi rebels, called for an advance against Saudi Arabia on Sunday. Saleh spoke a day after an air strike on a funeral ceremony killed more than 140 people in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa. "I call upon all the sons of this nation ... to face this aggression with all their strength and you must proceed to the battlefronts," Saleh said in a televised speech, Reuters reported. "The defence ministry, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff and the interior ministry must put in place the necessary measures for battle readiness at the fronts on the (Saudi) border." Houthi rebels had accused the Arab coalition of Saturday's attack that killed and wounded hundreds. The Saudi-led coalition denied any responsibility but promised an investigation into the incident. "The coalition will immediately investigate this case along with Joint Incidents Assessment Team in Yemen and experts from the United States who participated in previous investigations," it said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency, reported AFP. "The coalition is also willing to provide the investigation team with any data and information related to its military operations today, at the incident`s location and the surrounding areas," it said. "The result of the investigation should be announced as soon as it's completed." UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Sunday called for an impartial and independent probe into the raids, demanding the perpetrators face justice. "The Secretary-General condemns the attack on an event hall," said a statement from Ban's office. "Any deliberate attack against civilians is utterly unacceptable." The UN humanitarian coordinator in Yemen, Jamie McGoldrick, said aid workers were "shocked and outraged" by the attacks that hit a community hall in the capital Sanaa where mourners had gathered, AFP reported. He called for an immediate investigation and said the international community must exert pressure to ensure civilians are protected. White House National Security Council spokesman Ned Price said in a statement that the US has ' initiated an immediate review of our already significantly reduced support to the Saudi-led coalition and are prepared to adjust our support so as to better align with US principles, values and interests, including achieving an immediate and durable end to Yemen`s tragic conflict.' Price called on all sides to implement an immediate ceasefire. "US security cooperation with Saudi Arabia is not a blank check," he stressed. The rebel-controlled news site sabanews.net said that the coalition jets hit a building in southern Sana'a where hundreds were mourning the death of the father of an influential local official. Saturday’s strike was one of the deadliest attacks since the bombing campaign began in support of Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi. The airstrikes have come in at a time when Saudi Arabia is under increasing international scrutiny over allegations of civilian deaths in its air raids. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Former Yemeni president urges action against Saudi Arabia to avenge funeral air strike

Yemeni government negotiators said they were leaving peace talks in Kuwait on Monday after Houthi militia foes rejected a United Nations proposal aimed to ending their country&#39;s war. 
 
Foreign Minister Abdel-Malek al-Mekhlafi insisted the government was not abandoning the peace process, but suggested it would only return if the Houthis and a powerful local ally lifted their objections to the UN plan. 
 
&quot;We&#39;ve agreed to the initiative ... we are now leaving the territory of the brotherly state of Kuwait but we&#39;re not leaving the talks,&quot; Mekhlafi said while announcing the move. 
 
&quot;We&#39;ll return at any moment, even an hour after our departure, if the other side agrees to sign this document which the (U.N.) envoy presented.&quot; 
 
UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed proposed that the government&#39;s foes in the armed Houthi movement quit three main cities they hold, including the capital Sanaa. Under this plan, new talks would then be convened on forming a government that would include the Houthis, delegates said. 
 
The envoy said in a statement the talks would continue. &quot;The departure of the Government of Yemen delegation from Kuwait is not a departure from the Peace Talks,&quot; Ould Cheikh Ahmed said. 
 
&quot;We agreed with the parties to keep the talks ongoing until we agree on next steps in the coming days which shall be dedicated to intensive meetings&quot; with the government&#39;s foes as well as international diplomats, he said. 
 
The Houthis dismissed the UN proposal as a non-starter on Sunday, saying in a statement that any agreement would need to be comprehensive and not postpone a resolution on major issues. 
 
They said they would stay in Kuwait for the talks. 
 
The negotiations started in April have slowed the nationwide fighting that has killed at least 6,400 people and caused one of the world&#39;s worst humanitarian crises. 
 
(Reuters)

The United Nations proposed that government's foes in the armed Houthi movement quit three main cities they hold, including capital Sanaa

Yemeni government negotiators said they were leaving peace talks in Kuwait on Monday after Houthi militia foes rejected a United Nations proposal aimed to ending their country's war. Foreign Minister Abdel-Malek al-Mekhlafi insisted the government was not abandoning the peace process, but suggested it would only return if the Houthis and a powerful local ally lifted their objections to the UN plan. "We've agreed to the initiative ... we are now leaving the territory of the brotherly state of Kuwait but we're not leaving the talks," Mekhlafi said while announcing the move. "We'll return at any moment, even an hour after our departure, if the other side agrees to sign this document which the (U.N.) envoy presented." UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed proposed that the government's foes in the armed Houthi movement quit three main cities they hold, including the capital Sanaa. Under this plan, new talks would then be convened on forming a government that would include the Houthis, delegates said. The envoy said in a statement the talks would continue. "The departure of the Government of Yemen delegation from Kuwait is not a departure from the Peace Talks," Ould Cheikh Ahmed said. "We agreed with the parties to keep the talks ongoing until we agree on next steps in the coming days which shall be dedicated to intensive meetings" with the government's foes as well as international diplomats, he said. The Houthis dismissed the UN proposal as a non-starter on Sunday, saying in a statement that any agreement would need to be comprehensive and not postpone a resolution on major issues. They said they would stay in Kuwait for the talks. The negotiations started in April have slowed the nationwide fighting that has killed at least 6,400 people and caused one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. (Reuters)

Yemen government leaves Kuwait talks after Houthis reject UN plan

Two leading human rights groups urged UN member-states today to suspend Saudi Arabia from the UN Human Rights Council over the killing of civilians in Yemen and repression at home. 
 
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) said they would begin lobbying the UN General Assembly to hold a vote on suspending Saudi Arabia from the Geneva-based council, even though they admitted this was a long shot. 
 
&quot;Over the past few months, Saudi Arabia has gone beyond the pale and does not deserve anymore to sit on the Human Rights Council,&quot; said HRW deputy director Philippe Bolopion. 
 
Human Rights Watch accused Riyadh of targeting civilians in the war in Yemen, using cluster bombs banned by international conventions and laying siege to ports to prevent basic goods from reaching Yemen. 
 
The joint appeal again put the spotlight on Saudi Arabia, which has been leading an Arab coalition carrying out air strikes against Huthi rebels and their allies who seized much of Yemen. 
 
The coalition is supporting Yemen&#39;s President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi in a war that the UN says has killed more than 6,400 people, about half of them civilians since March 2015. 
 
&quot;Saudi Arabia is in a league of its own,&quot; Bolopion told a news conference, adding that the kingdom is &quot;getting away with murder in a way that no other country has been able to do.&quot; 
 
The rights groups charged that Saudi Arabia had used its position as a council member to block an independent international investigation of war crimes in Yemen. 
 
Riyadh pressured UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to remove the coalition from a blacklist of child rights violators by threatening to withdraw funding to UN aid programs. 
 
Saudi Arabia has denied using pressure tactics and insists the coalition is not deliberately targeting civilians in Yemen. 
Saudi foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir dismissed the accusations as &quot;outrageous.&quot; 
 
&quot;The coalition is very cautious in selecting targets. We do not harm civilians,&quot; the minister told reporters in Paris.Amnesty International said the Saudi government had brutally cracked down on dissent at home and resorts to executions for offenses that under international law are not punishable by the death penalty. 
 
Since 2013, all prominent human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia have been either thrown into prison, threatened into silence or have fled the country, said Richard Bennett, Amnesty`s UN director. 
 
Saudi Arabia was elected by the assembly in 2013 to sit on the 47-member council and a two-thirds majority would be needed to remove it from the body, which the rights groups and UN diplomats admitted would be unlikely. 
 
Libya is the only country ever to suspended from the council by a vote held in 2011 to protest Moamer Kadhafi`s violent crackdown on protesters. 
 
The rights groups said Saudi Arabia had managed to get away with such violations because of support from the United States and Britain. 
 
HRW&#39;s director for the Middle East, Sarah Leah Whitson, said the United States and Britain had &quot;crossed the threshold to be part of this war&quot; in Yemen by supplying weapons and supporting operations. 
 
The rights group is asking the Pentagon to provide information on how it is supporting the coalition with the choice of targets, said Whitson. 
 
This form of military assistance would make the United States complicit in war crimes, she said. 
 
(AFP)

The groups accuse Riyadh of targeting civilians in the Yemen war & laying seige to the country's ports, blocking basic goods from getting in

Two leading human rights groups urged UN member-states today to suspend Saudi Arabia from the UN Human Rights Council over the killing of civilians in Yemen and repression at home. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) said they would begin lobbying the UN General Assembly to hold a vote on suspending Saudi Arabia from the Geneva-based council, even though they admitted this was a long shot. "Over the past few months, Saudi Arabia has gone beyond the pale and does not deserve anymore to sit on the Human Rights Council," said HRW deputy director Philippe Bolopion. Human Rights Watch accused Riyadh of targeting civilians in the war in Yemen, using cluster bombs banned by international conventions and laying siege to ports to prevent basic goods from reaching Yemen. The joint appeal again put the spotlight on Saudi Arabia, which has been leading an Arab coalition carrying out air strikes against Huthi rebels and their allies who seized much of Yemen. The coalition is supporting Yemen's President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi in a war that the UN says has killed more than 6,400 people, about half of them civilians since March 2015. "Saudi Arabia is in a league of its own," Bolopion told a news conference, adding that the kingdom is "getting away with murder in a way that no other country has been able to do." The rights groups charged that Saudi Arabia had used its position as a council member to block an independent international investigation of war crimes in Yemen. Riyadh pressured UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to remove the coalition from a blacklist of child rights violators by threatening to withdraw funding to UN aid programs. Saudi Arabia has denied using pressure tactics and insists the coalition is not deliberately targeting civilians in Yemen. Saudi foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir dismissed the accusations as "outrageous." "The coalition is very cautious in selecting targets. We do not harm civilians," the minister told reporters in Paris.Amnesty International said the Saudi government had brutally cracked down on dissent at home and resorts to executions for offenses that under international law are not punishable by the death penalty. Since 2013, all prominent human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia have been either thrown into prison, threatened into silence or have fled the country, said Richard Bennett, Amnesty`s UN director. Saudi Arabia was elected by the assembly in 2013 to sit on the 47-member council and a two-thirds majority would be needed to remove it from the body, which the rights groups and UN diplomats admitted would be unlikely. Libya is the only country ever to suspended from the council by a vote held in 2011 to protest Moamer Kadhafi`s violent crackdown on protesters. The rights groups said Saudi Arabia had managed to get away with such violations because of support from the United States and Britain. HRW's director for the Middle East, Sarah Leah Whitson, said the United States and Britain had "crossed the threshold to be part of this war" in Yemen by supplying weapons and supporting operations. The rights group is asking the Pentagon to provide information on how it is supporting the coalition with the choice of targets, said Whitson. This form of military assistance would make the United States complicit in war crimes, she said. (AFP)

Amnesty, Human Rights Watch want Saudi Arabia off UN Human Rights Council

<div style="text-align: justify;">US&nbsp;President Barack Obama will meet with Saudi Arabia&#39;s powerful deputy crown prince on Friday and the two are expected to discuss conflicts in the Middle East including the campaign against Islamic State, a White House spokesman said on Thursday. 
 
Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the son of King Salman, is on a visit to the United States aimed at restoring frayed relations with Washington and to promote a plan to slash the kingdom&#39;s dependence on oil revenues. Friday&#39;s meeting will take place at the White House. 
 
White House spokesman Eric Schultz said the meeting would provide an opportunity to discuss issues including the conflicts in Syria and Yemen and &quot;our cooperation with the Saudis in the campaign against ISIL,&quot; as Islamic State is also known. 
 
U.S. officials have expressed unease about the Saudi-led campaign against Houthi rebels in Yemen, which has resulted in large-scale civilian casualties, according to the United Nations and human rights groups. 
 
Reuters reported last week that the UN&nbsp;had removed the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen from a child rights blacklist after intense pressure by Riyadh. 
 
Prince Mohammed, whose influence in Saudi governing counsels appears to be growing rapidly, is being given wide access to Obama&#39;s administration. 
 
He will visit the White House on Thursday afternoon to meet with Obama&#39;s National Economic Council to discuss the plan the prince is championing to transform the Saudi economy by 2030. US&nbsp;treasury secretary Jack Lew and Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz will be present. 
 
&quot;A lot of our economic officials this afternoon will be meeting with him about how to move that programme forward and adopt best practices,&quot; Schultz said 
 
Prince Mohammed, who is also the Saudi defence minister, also is due to meet US&nbsp;defence secretary Ash Carter at the Pentagon on Thursday. 
(Reuters)</div>

Deputy crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, the son of King Salman, is on a visit to the US aimed at restoring frayed relations with Washington

US President Barack Obama will meet with Saudi Arabia's powerful deputy crown prince on Friday and the two are expected to discuss conflicts in the Middle East including the campaign against Islamic State, a White House spokesman said on Thursday. Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the son of King Salman, is on a visit to the United States aimed at restoring frayed relations with Washington and to promote a plan to slash the kingdom's dependence on oil revenues. Friday's meeting will take place at the White House. White House spokesman Eric Schultz said the meeting would provide an opportunity to discuss issues including the conflicts in Syria and Yemen and "our cooperation with the Saudis in the campaign against ISIL," as Islamic State is also known. U.S. officials have expressed unease about the Saudi-led campaign against Houthi rebels in Yemen, which has resulted in large-scale civilian casualties, according to the United Nations and human rights groups. Reuters reported last week that the UN had removed the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen from a child rights blacklist after intense pressure by Riyadh. Prince Mohammed, whose influence in Saudi governing counsels appears to be growing rapidly, is being given wide access to Obama's administration. He will visit the White House on Thursday afternoon to meet with Obama's National Economic Council to discuss the plan the prince is championing to transform the Saudi economy by 2030. US treasury secretary Jack Lew and Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz will be present. "A lot of our economic officials this afternoon will be meeting with him about how to move that programme forward and adopt best practices," Schultz said Prince Mohammed, who is also the Saudi defence minister, also is due to meet US defence secretary Ash Carter at the Pentagon on Thursday. (Reuters)

Obama to meet Saudi deputy crown prince on Friday:  White House

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Saudi Arabia relaxes Yemen air blockade for evacuation of wounded

Former Yemeni president urges action against Saudi Arabia to avenge funeral air strike

Yemen government leaves Kuwait talks after Houthis reject UN plan

Amnesty, Human Rights Watch want Saudi Arabia off UN Human Rights Council

Obama to meet Saudi deputy crown prince on Friday: White House