US cuts advisers to Saudi-led coalition in Yemen

The US military has slashed the number of intelligence advisers directly supporting the Saudi-led coalition's air war in Yemen, the US Navy said on Saturday, following concerns over civilian casualties.

The reassignment of personnel, around June, came because "there was not the same sort of requests coming in for assistance", said Fifth Fleet spokesman Lieutenant Ian McConnaughey from its base in Bahrain.

Saudi Arabia has faced repeated criticism from rights groups over civilian casualties in its 17-month campaign against rebels in Yemen.