UN condemns attacks in Saudi Arabia, Yemen

UNITED NATIONS－The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned attacks that targeted civilian facilities in Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

"The secretary-general is deeply concerned about reports of ongoing airstrikes in Hodeidah city and the targeting of Hodeidah's ports, which provide a critical humanitarian lifeline for the Yemeni population," the UN chief's spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said.

More than 23 million Yemenis face hunger, disease and other life-threatening risks as the country's basic services and economy are collapsing, the UN Office for Humanitarian Coordination had said.

Houthi forces in Yemen, also known as Ansar Allah, attacked Saudi Arabian civil and energy facilities on Friday, including an oil facility in Jeddah, sparking a massive fire that sent a column of black smoke into the sky.

The Saudi-backed coalition of nine countries assisting the Yemeni official government in fighting the Houthis responded with airstrikes on three Houthi seaports, Hodeidah, Salif and Sanaa, killing eight civilians, including five children and two women, on Saturday.

"These airstrikes also resulted in damage to the UN staff residential compound in Sanaa," Dujarric said.

Guterres is calling for "a swift and transparent investigation into these incidents to ensure accountability", he said.

As the conflict enters its eighth year, Guterres reiterated his calls on all parties to "exercise maximum restraint, immediately de-escalate, cease hostilities and abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution".

On Saturday Yemen's Houthi rebels announced a three-day unilateral cease-fire with the Saudi-led coalition, voicing their commitment to a permanent truce if the coalition ends airstrikes and withdraws forces.

The Houthi political leader also proposed a deal to swap all prisoners, including the brother of Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, with the Saudi-led coalition forces.

However, early on Sunday, the Saudi-led coalition carried out airstrikes in Yemen after the Houthi rebels called the three-day truce, Agence France-Presse quoted Saudi media as saying.

The Houthi militia has recently intensified attacks against Saudi Arabia after it lost several strategic districts in the oil-rich provinces of Marib and Shabwa during its fighting against the Yemeni government army in the past two months.

Yemen has been mired in civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed Yemeni government of Hadi out of Sanaa.

The Saudi-backed coalition has been fighting the Houthis for seven years in support of the internationally recognized Yemeni government. The coalition has carried out thousands of airstrikes, killing tens of thousands of people, the UN says.

Xinhua - Agencies