Report: US, UK Weapons Killed Civilians in Yemen

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Facts

  • An Oxfam report published on Wednesday says that US and UK weapons used in Yemen by the Saudi-led coalition killed at least 87 civilians and wounded 136 others in just over a year.
  • The report, which covered the period between January 2021 and February 2022, said that the UK government has ignored a “pattern of harm,” arguing that it amounts to legal grounds for Britain to limit arms sales to Saudi Arabia.
  • In addition to the reported 87 civilian deaths, Oxfam claims that the Saudi-led coalition's air strikes were responsible for at least 19 attacks on hospitals, clinics, and ambulances; 293 attacks that forced people to flee their homes; and widespread destruction of vital infrastructure.
  • The report comes only a day after the US military seized over 2k rifles destined for Yemen from a fishing boat in the Gulf of Oman using a route allegedly frequented by Iranian smugglers supplying the Houthis.
  • Oxfam’s claims also come ahead of a legal challenge put forward by the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) against the UK government for supplying weapons used in Yemen’s war, with Oxfam supporting CAAT's challenge.
  • The war in Yemen began in 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthis captured the country’s capital, Sanaa, thus pushing the internationally recognized government into exile. A Saudi and Emirati-led coalition then entered the war on the side of the government the following year.

Sources: ABC, Guardian, Oxfam, National News, Independent, and Associated Press.

Narratives

  • Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Inkstick. The West's role in the influx of weapons in the conflict— and by extension, its role in the country's crisis — can't be overlooked. As it hypocritically denounces Iran's suspected supply of weapons, Western countries themselves continue to heavily arm Saudi Arabia in the hopes of cozying up with the oil-rich nation, and innocent civilians are paying the price.
  • Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Financial Times. The West's involvement in the conflict goes far beyond Saudi Arabia's worth as an ally; it's a response to the Iran-backed Houthis, who are a terrorist organization. Even though the Saudis have met some of the Houthis’ demands, the rebels won’t let up, leaving the Saudis with no choice but to continue their efforts.