Civilian death toll in Yemen fighting up to nearly 1,900

Human Rights Watch condemned as an “apparent war crime” on Tuesday a Saudi-led air raid in Yemen last week that it said killed at least 65 civilians in residential compounds.

It said that 10 children were among the dead in Friday’s strikes in the Red Sea port of Mokha.

The Saudi-led coalition on Saturday announced a unilateral truce that came into effect at the request of Hadi.

The air strikes hit fighters loyal to exiled Yemeni President Abd-Rabbo Mansour Hadi in Balah area in Lahj on Monday as they were advancing to besiege Shiite Houthi militia in the al-Anad airforce base, Xinhua reported, citing two military officials.

In a statement in March about Yemen’s war, the worldwide Committee of the Red Cross said that under global humanitarian law, all countries and parties involved in conflict must distinguish between military and civilian objects, and uphold the principles of proportionality and precaution.

HRW said it had visited the plant on Sunday and found no signs that the compounds were being used for military purposes.

On the other hand, reports said the Houthi group and the former president Saleh sent reinforcements into South Yemen and that the Arab coalition targeted some of their convoys.

Videos on social media appeared to show panicked civilians running for cover during the attack on Friday night, and large numbers killed and severely wounded in its aftermath. The Saudi-owned Al-Hadath news channel said Saudi forces “responded” to Houthi shelling in Jazan, without elaborating.

The past four months of fighting have devastated Aden and destroyed the lives of the majority of its people, the U.N.’s humanitarian coordinator for the country, Johannes Van Der Klaauw, said in a statement Monday, a day after visiting the city.

A spokesman for the Houthi movement could not immediately be contacted for comment.