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Houthis Violate Laws of War by Launching Missiles at Saudi Arabia - HRW

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Houthi forces attacking Saudi Arabia with ballistic missiles are violating the laws of war, Human Rights Watch said in a press release on Monday.
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"Houthi forces in Yemen violated the laws of war by launching ballistic missiles indiscriminately at populated areas in Saudi Arabia on March 25, 2018," the release said.

Middle East Director at Human Rights Watch Sarah Leah Whitson called on the Houthis to stop launching missiles at populated areas, but also condemned the Saudi-led coalition's "indiscriminate" attacks on civilians in Yemen.

"Just as unlawful coalition airstrikes don’t justify the Houthi’s indiscriminate attacks, the Saudis can’t use Houthi rockets to justify impeding life-saving goods for Yemen’s civilian population," she was quoted as saying in the release.

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The most recent launch occurred on March 31, when, according to Al-Arabiya broadcaster, a missile was fired toward Saudi Arabia's National Guard camp in the Najran region. Saudi air defenses reportedly intercepted the missile, while the Houthi-controlled Saba news agency reported that the missile hit the target, causing losses among Saudi troops and destroying military equipment.

Prior to the incident, Houthis' attack killed one person and injured two others on March 25, according to the official Saudi Press Agency.

READ MORE: Yemeni Forces Claim Ballistic Missile Hit on Saudi Military Base

Yemen has been engulfed in a violent conflict between the government headed by Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and the Houthi movement, also known as Ansar Allah. Since March 2015, the Saudi-led coalition of mostly Persian Gulf countries has been carrying out airstrikes against the Houthis at Hadi's request. Millions of Yemenis remain in need of immediate humanitarian aid, according to the United Nations.

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