The United States says it has determined that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are taking sufficient steps to prevent civilian destruction in Yemen, where Saudi coalition airstrikes have killed thousands of civilians.
In a statement, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he certified to Congress that Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E. are "undertaking demonstrable actions to reduce the risk of harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure resulting from military operations of these governments."
He did not elaborate.
Congress had given Pompeo until September 12 to certify the coalition is taking steps to reduce civilian deaths. If hadn't done so, the provision would have prohibited the U.S. from re-fueling Saudi aircraft. The U.S. also provides the coalition targeting information, logistical support, and weapons.
In a statement, U.S. Secretary of State Jim Mattis says he endorses and fully supports the determination that the coalition is "making every effort to reduce the risk of civilian casualties and collateral damage to civilian infrastructure."
The Saudi-led coalition admitted last month “mistakes were made” in an August bus bombing that killed dozens of children. It vowed to hold responsible those who bombed the bus and said it would improve its targeting procedures.
Sarah Margon, the Washington director of Human Rights Watch, said in a tweet that Pompeo's determination was based on "farcical analysis."
The three-year-old conflict in Yemen has killed more than 10,000 people and created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with millions facing starvation and disease.
The Saudi-led coalition has been fighting Houthi rebels since 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital. The coalition is trying to restore the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
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