Conflicts in Syria and Yemen reveal increasing disregard for humanitarian law,a trend the US can start to reverseThe Syrian clash has been characterised by two things: an indiscriminate and disproportionate spend of force in populated areas, and a lack of precautionary measures to minimise civilian harm. Civilians are deliberately targeted and trapped under siege with even life-saving assistance refused entry.
Yet while a lack of respect for civilians in Syria is universally condemned, and a mirror image of civilian harm is found in Yemen,where the US, UK and others support Saudi-led military operations against the Houthis. And much like in Syria, and the scale of destruction,civilian deaths and injuries seen in Yemen illustrates a stunning disregard for the basic rules of international humanitarian law – even if Yemeni civilians are not deliberately targeted, as Saudi Arabia claims.
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Source: theguardian.com