Rights charity Amnesty International has urged US President Donald Trump not to approve arms sales to the Gulf countries of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, warning such moves could implicate the US in possible war crimes in Yemen, according to The Independent.
A Saudi-Arabia led coalition of mainly Gulf Arab states has bombed Houthi rebel and al-Qaeda positions for the last two years at the request of the ousted President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi’s government.
The campaign has drawn international criticism for allegedly targeting civilian infrastructure, causing unnecessary loss of human life that the UN says could amount to war crimes.
“If approved, this deal would essentially have President Trump throwing gasoline on a house fire and locking the door on his way out,” said Margaret Huang, the executive director of Amnesty International USA.
“The US should not continue to arm governments that violate international human rights and humanitarian law and simultaneously shut its doors to those fleeing the violence it helps to escalate.”