30th Aug 2015, airstrikes hit bottling plant in Hajjah province killing 14 workers injuring 11

These videos document the Saudi led coalition air strikes on Yemen. WARNING, they are EXTREMELY GRAPHIC and DISTRESSING. They are put here as evidence to support the call for an independent enquiry into war crimes and to call on the West to stop supplying arms to Saudi Arabia.

Early Sunday morning 30th August 2015, Saudi led coalition airstrikes hit a water bottling factory in Hajjah province, killing at least 14 workers, including 3 boys, and wounding 11 more.



This is HRW's report of the incident:

On August 30 at about 3:50 a.m., an airstrike hit Al-Sham Water Bottling Factory in the outskirts of Abs. The strike destroyed the factory and killed 14 workers, including three boys, who were nearing the end of their night shift, and wounded 11 more. Many of the dead and wounded, as well as the owner of the factory, were from the same family.

Hamza Abdu Muhammad Rouzom, 26, a factory worker present at the time of the explosion, told Human Rights Watch he was on the shift that started at 8 p.m. and was set to end at 5 a.m.:

"Because we work with noisy machines, if there were planes flying overhead, we would not have heard them. The explosion was almost like a dream, it all happened so quickly. I heard a whizzing sound for a second, then a huge explosion. I lost consciousness for at least 30 minutes, and when I woke up I saw people were trying to help me. I was covered in blood and dust and had a big cut on my right foot. They carried me to my car, and as they did, I looked around me and saw fire everywhere. I saw my friends and coworkers wounded, some completely burned. It was one of the worst moments of my life."

He was taken to a hospital in Hodaida, but because of a lack of medical supplies, was transferred to a second hospital soon after.

Khaled Ibrahim Musaed, 34, a journalist who lives about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from the factory, said that coalition aircraft carried out more than a dozen strikes on a range of military and government installations that night in other parts of Hajja governorate, and the strike on the factory was the last. Two workers at the plant told Human Rights Watch that this was the only strike in the direct vicinity and that they knew of no military targets close to the area.

Later on August 30, after the airstrike, Brig. Gen. Ahmed al-Assiri, the military spokesman for the coalition, reportedly told Reuters that the plant had been used by the Houthis to make explosive devices, and was not, in fact, a bottling factory. All of the individuals Human Rights Watch interviewed said that plant was being used to bottle water and was not used for any military purposes. A group of international journalists traveled to the site of the blast two days after it was hit and reported that they could not find evidence of any military targets in the area. They said that they carefully examined the site, and took photos and videos of piles of scorched plastic bottles melted together from the heat of the explosion. They could not find any evidence that the factory was being used for military purposes.

https://www.hrw.org/node/283702

List of the dead as reported by HRW:

Location: Al-Sham Water Bottling Plant
Date: 8/30/2015

Name	Gender	Age	Killed/Wounded
Abdullah Haddi Muhammad Rouzom	Male	32	Killed
Omar Muhammad Ahmad Hashed	Male	28	Killed
Muhammad Ibrahim Muhammad Hashed	Male	25	Killed
Abdu Muhammad Ahmad Hassen Shabin	Male	20	Killed
Ahmad Ibrahim Muhammad Hashed	Male	13	Killed
Ali Shamil Ali Boheis	Male	40	Killed
Hassen Muhammad Shabin	Male	30	Killed
Hashed Ali Bin Ali Hashed	Male	16	Killed
Muhammad Hassan Jalhouf	Male	45	Killed
Muhammad al-Roussaie	Male	40	Killed
Hisham Ali Shouai Makin	Male	28	Killed
Walid Muhammad Ibrahim Hansh	Male	25	Killed
Ali Doubish	Male	25	Killed
Ahmad Ali Shabin	Male	16	Killed
Ali Bin Hashed	Male	35	Wounded
Ibrahim Ali Hashed	Male	27	Wounded
Saad Ali Ahmad Hashed	Male	19	Wounded
Hamza Abdu Muhammad Rouzom	Male	26	Wounded
Zain Yusif Zain	Male	35	Wounded
Abdu Ibrahim Muhammad Hashed	Male	32	Wounded
Yahya Ali Donami	Male	28	Wounded
Ibrahim Taib Ali	Male	24	Wounded
Abdu Ali Muhammad Hashed	Male	25	Wounded
Adel Muhammad Ismael	Male	18	Wounded
Muhammad Ibrahim Zamoh	Male	40	Wounded

This is Mwatana's report of the incident:

http://www.mwatana.org/en/132016446

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/thirty-civilians-killed-yemen-airstrike-090700102.html#o5lRyPb 

 

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13th April 2015, civilian infrastructure targeted by coalition airstrikes in Saada governorate Yemen

On the 13th May 2015, the Saudi led coalition struck many places in Saada governorate, killing 3 civilians and injuring 17 others including 2 women, 1 child and an old man. They Saada bombed Al-Khafgy market, the passports building, the power plant and the technical institute. Residents of Saada hid in caves. Hospitals were left without power. Airstrikes also reportedly hit an iron factory in Aden governorate, transmission lines in Marib and homes in Al-Baidah province.

This it the Legal Center for Rights and Development's report for that day:

A total blackout in many cities across yemen after Saudi/US led airstrike tafgeted power cables in marib and in Nehim E Sanaa.

— Hussain Albukhaiti (@HussainBukhaiti) April 13, 2015

يا أهل الخير المستشفيات 40ساعة بلا كهرباء و المولدات بلا ديزل #اليمن
Hospitals 40hrs w/o electricity & backup generators w/o diesel #Yemen

— Hisham Al-Omeisy (@omeisy) April 14, 2015

 Ref: 15041301

11th Apr 2015, 4 killed inc 2 women 1 child, when home in Amran Yemen hit by Saudi led airstrike

On 11th April 2015, the Saudi led coalition airstrikes killed at least 4 civilians including 2 women and 1 child in Amran province when they hit a residential house, and wounding 1 more.

This is HRW's report of the incident:

On April 11, 2015 at about 11:45 a.m., a coalition aircraft dropped two bombs near the office of the Ministry of Education in Amran, a town under Houthi control 40 kilometers (25 miles) northwest of Sanaa. One bomb hit a single-story building housing three families about 20 meters (66 feet) outside the education ministry compound, killing four members of one family, including two women and a girl, and wounding one more.

Muhammad Saleh al-Qihwi, whose house was destroyed in the strike, said he was at the Tawheed Mosque, about 100 meters (328 feet) away, when he heard the blast:

"When I got to the house, there was still dust in the air, and everything was covered in a layer of black ash. My wife and kids were lying there, covered in black ash. Thank God they were alive. I saw my sister-in-law, Asma, and her daughter under some rocks, and I tried to dig them out. Asma’s head was open, and her leg was bleeding. Her 2-year-old daughter, Hyam, was lying on her shoulder, her head was smashed open. Her other daughter, Hasna, who’s 7, was shouting “Baba” [father]. Her hair and skin were covered in ash, and she was burned badly. Her father, my brother Muhammad, had been asleep when the strike happened, and the roof landed on top of him. When I dug him out, there was a thin trickle of blood dripping from his ear. He was already dead."

   
Al-Qihwi told Human Rights Watch that as far as he knew, there were no Houthi or other military forces or structures in the area at the time of the airstrike, nor had he seen Houthis using the education ministry building. On that morning he had not seen any Houthi vehicles on the road. He said that the only other airstrike in the area had taken place a few days earlier, and had struck a park a few kilometers away, near Amran University, but he did not know what the intended target of that strike was either.

Muhammad al-Harasi, 31, a guard at the Ministry of Education building who was present at the time of the airstrike, told Human Rights Watch that he saw anti-aircraft fire coming from a mountain a couple of kilometers to the southwest. He also said that he believed that senior officials from Amran’s administration had been meeting in a nearby house.

Human Rights Watch examined the site on July 23. Al-Qihwi’s house had been completely destroyed by the bomb blast, which had also blown out a section of the concrete wall surrounding the Ministry of Education compound. A second bomb had left a crater next to the road near the compound.

An attack on the Ministry of Education compound would have been unlawful, unless the compound was being used for military purposes. Civil authorities would not be legitimate military targets unless they were directly involved in planning or participating in military operations.

What Military Target Was in My Brother's House
https://www.hrw.org/node/283702

A Saudi/US led air strike targeted a neighborhood in Amran city N Sanas killin 4 injuring 16 civilians pic.twitter.com/eIzuUFnWLG

— Hussain Albukhaiti (@HussainBukhaiti) April 11, 2015

The Legal Center for Rights and Development also listed this incident as well as others on their daily report:

On the same day, a football stadium in Aden and a football stadium in Al-Yarmook in Sana'a province were also destroyed.

Saudi/US led air strike after targetting a FT stadium in Aden has targeted Al-yarmook FT stadiom N Sanas hours ago pic.twitter.com/gkSHQIJXS4

— Hussain Albukhaiti (@HussainBukhaiti) April 11, 2015

On the same day, a soft drinks factory in in Hodeidah was destroyed.

Soft drinks store was targeted by Saudi/US led air strike, the Saudi with Hadi legitimacy will destroy entire #Yemen pic.twitter.com/AnovXT6hj6

— Hussain Albukhaiti (@HussainBukhaiti) April 11, 2015

Ref: 15041101

9th April 2015, civilians killed, cement factory destroyed, water and food sources targeted, by coalition airstrikes in Yemen

On the 9th April 2015, the Saudi led coalition airstrikes on Yemen killed 10 people including 2 women and 2 children in Amran, destroyed several governmental facilities, a cement factory, a mosque, a water plant in Saada and grain silos in Aden port.

This is the Legal Center for Rights and Development's preliminary report for that day:

Ref: 15040901

8th Apr 2015, residential appartment block targeted by airstrikes in Sanaa, Yemen

On the 8th April 2015, the Saudi led coalition targeted residential appartments covering 7 floors in the capital of Sanaa, Yemen, injuring 28 civilians.

In addition, 5 civilians were reported as killed in Taiz, a communications center with satellite was destroyed in Sanaa, several houses were bombed in Bani Matar, a food factory in Aden was damaged, 2 tankers were hit, a chicken farm, a farms of cows and sheep, and roads and bridges were also destroyed.

Residential block was directly hit by Saudi/US led airstrike this afternoon N Sanas.reports of casualties. pic.twitter.com/zqLC8Xc153

— Hussain Albukhaiti (@HussainBukhaiti) April 8, 2015

Ref: 15040801

31st Mar 2015, airstrikes on margarine, soap and dairy factories in Al Hodeidah Yemen

Starting shortly before midnight on Tuesday 31st March 2015 through until dawn on Wednesday 1st April 2015,  Saudi-led coalition forces targeted the Yamani factory complex in Al Hodeidah, to the West of Yemen, which included margarine, soap and dairy factories. Reports state that at least 31 were killed and 11 more injured.

http://yemenobserver.com/news-national/1451-saudi-aggression-bombs-dairy-factory-in-hodeidah.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-32142549

A local Yemeni said to Jamila: "Many factory workers were killed and dozens wounded, bodies charred turned into just skeletons or ash. These factories were some of the largest dairy factories in Yemen, in the private sector: they employed hundreds of workers and served a large segment of the society, including the provision of milk to children as it was the main dairy factory in the area. It would take 2 years and a $30 million investment to rebuild them."


An Amnesty International report stated:

A 23-year-old man injured in a strike that struck a factory in Hodeidah on 31 March was left paraplegic after a piece of shrapnel became lodged in his vertebrae. The director of the hospital inside the factory complex said the hospital was overwhelmed with casualties after the attack. The nearest military target, an army base, was more than 300 metres away.

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2015/04/yemen-investigate-relentless-airstrikes-that-have-left-hundreds-of-civilians-dead/


HRW reported:

Starting at about 11:10 p.m. on March 31, one or more warplanes carried out four separate strikes that hit the dairy factory, three factory workers and three local residents told Human Rights Watch. Dr. Hani Mahfoodh, an emergency doctor at 22 May Hospital in Hodaida, which received most of the victims, told Human Rights Watch that the strikes killed at least 31 factory employees, for whom he provided the names, and wounded at least 11 more...

Two people who were about 100 to 200 meters from the factory, and another who was about 2 kilometers away, said they saw one or more planes take part in the attack. A factory worker told Human Rights Watch that after his shift ended at 11 p.m., he waited with colleagues at the factory gate for the employee bus. At 11:10 p.m., he heard the sound of aircraft, which he had seen bombing elsewhere in Hodaida earlier that evening. A few seconds later, he saw one of the factory warehouses explode. “We rushed to the doors of the nearest building full of staff, and held open the doors as people ran out,” he said.

A few minutes later he saw a second explosion in a part of the factory that housed packaging equipment, causing water boilers to explode. The ground shook beneath him, he said. He later discovered that the explosion also caused leaks in gas pipes used in the cooling process. The worker said he witnessed ambulance workers take several people who may have inhaled the gas fumes to a hospital.
He said that a few minutes later he saw a third explosion in another part of the factory, setting the building on fire. Three workers in the building died while trying to turn off the machines. There was a fourth explosion several minutes later in the same part of the factory.

Another factory worker said he was inside another factory building during the first explosion. He was wounded by the second explosion but remained to aid other wounded and the ambulance staff. “In the aftermath of the strikes I saw body parts and charred bodies and hands and legs scattered,” he told Human Rights Watch. “I could not sleep for two days afterward because of the terrible images in my mind.”

A third factory employee who saw the explosions said that fires continued to blaze until the next morning.

https://www.hrw.org/news/2015/04/15/yemen-factory-airstrike-killed-31-civilians-0 


WARNING, these videos are EXTREMELY GRAPHIC and DISTRESSING. They are put here as evidence to support the call for an independent enquiry into war crimes and to call on the West to stop supplying arms to Saudi Arabia.






The following daily report by the Legal Center for Rights and Development also confirms the attack.

Saudi/US air strike targeted Dairy factory in Hodeidah killing 30 and injuring 25 workers #OpDecisiveStorm pic.twitter.com/pogbBKyooB

— Hussain Albukhaiti (@HussainBukhaiti) April 1, 2015

Ref: 15033102