Malaysian forces join Saudi-led coalition in Yemen

Renegade Yemeni troops who helped Huthi rebels accept Saudi ceasefire proposal

Malaysia's first troops arrived Sunday at Saudi military bases to join the coalition fighting against Iran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

Malaysia is the twelfth country to join the Saudi-led coalition after Senegal announced last week it would send 2,100 troops to Saudi Arabia.

According to SPA, Senegalese and Malaysian soldiers will join forces before carrying out military operations together in Yemen.

Earlier, renegade Yemeni troops who helped Shiite rebels to seize much of the country said they had accepted a Saudi proposal for a humanitarian ceasefire later this week.

"Following mediation from friendly countries to establish a humanitarian truce that would end the tyrannical blockade and permit commercial ships to reach Yemeni ports and allow humanitarian aid in, we announce our agreement to the humanitarian truce," spokesman Colonel Sharaf Luqman told the rebel-controlled Saba news agency.

There was still no word from the rebels themselves on any acceptance of the proposal by Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir for a five-day ceasefire starting from Tuesday.

Saudi-led forces conducted air raids at dawn on Sunday in the Yemeni capital Sanaa targeting former President Ali Abdullah Saleh's house, sources in his political party and residents said.

Three loud explosions were heard and plumes of smoke were seen rising from the area where Saleh's residence is located in the capital.

Meanwhile the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen said on Saturday that the air strikes by a Saudi-led coalition on Saada city in Yemen, where many civilians are trapped, are in breach of international law, despite calls for civilians to leave the area.

"The indiscriminate bombing of populated areas, with or without prior warning, is in contravention of international humanitarian law (IHL)," Johannes van der Klaauw said in a statement.

"Issuing warnings of impeding attacks does not absolve the parties of their IHL obligations to protect civilians from harm."

The statement comes after the Saudi-led coalition struck northern provinces of Yemen on Saturday in a third consecutive night of heavy air strikes, the Huthi rebels said, following their shelling this week of Saudi border areas.

More than 100 air strikes hit areas of Saada and Hajjah provinces, including the districts of Haradh, Maidi and Bakil al-Mir, the Huthis said. It was not possible to independently verify the number or location of strikes.

Scores of civilians were reportedly killed and thousands forced to flee their homes after the coalition, which includes Saudi Arabia and nine other Arab countries and is backed by the United States, Britain and France, declared the entire governorate a military target, he said.

"Many civilians are effectively trapped in Saada as they are unable to access transport because of the fuel shortage. The targeting of an entire governorate will put countless civilians at risk," Van der Klaauw said.

Under international law, all parties to the conflict must avoid inflicting harm upon civilians, and Van der Klaauw said military personnel and assets must not be located in densely populated areas, which would endanger civilians.

"In particular, all parties must avoid using populated areas as launching grounds for attacks," he said.

In a separate statement, the UN humanitarian agency OCHA said the air strikes had hit several areas in Saada, including the government compound and al-Majbalah market.

Air strikes, shelling and heavy clashes also took place in another eight districts on May 9, and air strikes were continuing in Amran and Hajjah governorates, OCHA said.

It said clear figures of the numbers of people displaced by the fighting were not yet available, but local authorities estimated around 4,000 families had arrived in Amran governorate and 2,000-2,500 families had arrived in the capital Sanaa.

Most were staying in public buildings such as schools, universities and government facilities, or with relatives.

(with Reuters)