2015 Mokha airstrikes

2015 event in the Yemeni Civil War March 2023 Mokha airstrikes 0 30 0 yes 2015 07 24 Mokha, Yemen type:event_region:YE dms inline,title Airstrike Yemen right 250 Mokha bottom Locator_Dot.png 7 13.3500 N 43.2500 E region:SY Civilian residential compound of Mokha power plant 65 120 (including 10 children) 150 Saudi-led coalition On 24 July 2015, between 9:30 and 10:00 p.m., the city of Mokha, Yemen, was bombed by the Saudi-led coalition. The airstrikes struck two worker housing complexes for engineers and technicians at the Mokha steam power plant.Saudi-led airstrikes kill 120; deadliest in Yemen conflict http://news.yahoo.com/saudi-led-coalition-announces-5-day-pause-yemen-144528039.html Yahoo News 25 July 2015 Al-Haj Ahmed Kennedy Merrit https://web.archive.org/web/20150728230958/http://news.yahoo.com:80/saudi-led-coalition-announces-5-day-pause-yemen-144528039.html 28 July 2015 dead The attack left between 65 and 120 dead, including at least 10 children.Saudi-led raid on Yemen plant appears unlawful - Rights Watch https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-yemen-security-hrw-idUKKCN0Q21AM20150728 22 July 2022 Reuters 28 July 2015 en 22 July 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220722113008/https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-yemen-security-hrw-idUKKCN0Q21AM20150728 live According to the workers and residents of the compound, at least one aircraft dropped nine bombs in separate sorties in intervals of a few minutes. The United Nations said that at least 36 buildings – including schools, hospitals, court houses, communications institutions, and power generation facilities – were damaged or destroyed. Mokha, a city on the coast of the Red Sea, was previously considered to be one of the safest cities during the war in Yemen. 2015-07-26 Saudi Arabia-led coalition calls ceasefire in Yemen after air strike kills 120 people http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/26/saudi-arabia-led-coalition-calls-ceasefire-yemen-120-die-airstrike live https://web.archive.org/web/20150726004939/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/26/saudi-arabia-led-coalition-calls-ceasefire-yemen-120-die-airstrike 2015-07-26 2022-07-20 the Guardian en The attack was one of the deadliest attacks by Saudi Arabia against Yemen. The attack was condemned by Human Rights Watch, who investigated the scene the day after the attack, saying that the airstrike was unlawful because there was "no evident military target." Yemeni officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that the distance between the attacked buildings and the closest Houthi outpost was about three miles. A military official stated that "incorrect coordinates" were given to the Saudi Arabia-led coalition. Background Yemeni civil war (2014–present) Saudi-led intervention in the Yemeni civil war On 26 March 2015, Saudi Arabia led a coalition of nine Arab states in carrying out airstrikes in Yemen.http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/03/26/GCC-states-to-repel-Houthi-aggression-in-Yemen-statement-.html Al Arabiya Saudi warplanes bomb Houthi positions in Yemen 25 March 2015 25 March 2015 2 April 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150402125058/http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/03/26/GCC-states-to-repel-Houthi-aggression-in-Yemen-statement-.html live The intervention was claimed to be a response to a request for assistance from Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, the then-President of Yemen.Bolton Doug 2015-07-26 Saudi-led coalition calls Yemen ceasefire days after massive airstrike killed 120 people https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/yemen-ceasefire-called-by-saudi-coalition-just-days-after-an-airstrike-killed-120-in-mokha-10417135.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20170217052604/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/yemen-ceasefire-called-by-saudi-coalition-just-days-after-an-airstrike-killed-120-in-mokha-10417135.html 2017-02-17 2023-04-06 The Independent en He immediately left the country for Saudi Arabia after the military intervention started.Abdallah Khaled Aboudi Sami 26 March 2015 Yemeni leader Hadi leaves country as Saudi Arabia keeps up air strikes Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security-idUSKBN0ML0YC20150326 live 30 June 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20150924214807/http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/26/us-yemen-security-idUSKBN0ML0YC20150326 24 September 2015 The Saudi-led coalition has performed military operations against Houthi militia and loyalists of Ali Abdullah Saleh, former Yemeni president. The UN said that between 26 March 2015 and the Mokha bombing, at least 1,693 civilians were killed in the fighting and 3,829 were wounded. The International Committee of the Red Cross said that "under international humanitarian law, all countries and parties involved in conflict must distinguish between military and civilian objects, and uphold the principles of proportionality and precaution." Bombing The airstrike hit two compounds in the residential area of the Mokha steam power plant that housed workers. Many of the workers had relatives there who had traveled for the Eid al-Fitr celebration, which was held on 18 July 2015 and marked the end of Ramadan. According to security officials and eyewitnesses, the strikes in the area continued into Saturday while dozens of families fled the area. Casualties Reports of casualties vary, ranging from "65 dead and dozens wounded", according to Human Rights Watch, to "120 dead and 150 wounded", according to US news outlets.Al-Haj Ahmed Yemeni officials, witnesses: Saudi-led coalition airstrikes kill more than 120 in port city https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2015/07/24/yemen-clashes-kill-20-as-fighting-rages 31 August 2022 AP 24 July 2015 31 August 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220831102124/https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2015/07/24/yemen-clashes-kill-20-as-fighting-rages liveDurable ceasefire needed as 'humanitarian catastrophe' leaves millions suffering in Yemen – UN relief chief https://news.un.org/en/story/2015/07/505252-durable-ceasefire-needed-humanitarian-catastrophe-leaves-millions-suffering#.Vb59S_mqqkp 31 August 2022 UN News United Nations 28 July 2015 en 31 August 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220831103007/https://news.un.org/en/story/2015/07/505252-durable-ceasefire-needed-humanitarian-catastrophe-leaves-millions-suffering#.Vb59S_mqqkp live"Saudi-led warplanes hit Yemen's Taiz killing 80 " https://web.archive.org/web/20160307035501/http://in.reuters.com/article/yemen-security-airstrike-idINKCN0PZ09Z20150725 2016-03-07 , Reuters,25 July 20152016-10-09 Saudi-led coalition airstrike hits Yemen funeral, killing over 140 people https://www.cnbc.com/2016/10/08/saudi-led-coalition-airstrike-hits-yemen-funeral-more-than-140-killed.html 2022-07-16 CNBC en 2022-07-16 https://web.archive.org/web/20220716153650/https://www.cnbc.com/2016/10/08/saudi-led-coalition-airstrike-hits-yemen-funeral-more-than-140-killed.html live The airstrike was criticized by Human Rights Watch and various media outlets due to its targeting of a residential complex.Yemen: Coalition Strikes on Residence Apparent War Crime https://www.hrw.org/news/2015/07/27/yemen-coalition-strikes-residence-apparent-war-crime 31 August 2022 Human Rights Watch 27 July 2015 en 1 September 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220901053028/https://www.hrw.org/news/2015/07/27/yemen-coalition-strikes-residence-apparent-war-crime live"Over 65 Yemenis killed in Saudi-led coalition air raids " https://web.archive.org/web/20150801205125/http://lhvnews.com/en/news/16495/over-65-yemenis-killed-in-saudiled-coalition-air-raids 2015-08-01 ,LHV news, 29 July 2015 Videos posted on social media appeared to show terrified bystanders rushing for shelter during the attack, as well as a significant number of people killed and seriously injured afterward. The officials said the attack razed some of the buildings. Aftermath The attack increased worries that Saudi military operations were starting to target civilians in addition to military targets. According to Yemeni officials, the distance between the struck block and the closest Houthi outpost is about three miles. By 2016, it was labeled as the second-deadliest attack by the Saudi campaign. Human Rights Watch stated that the airstrike was a war crime,Saudi-led coalition violated laws-of-war in Yemen, says Human Rights Watch https://www.airforce-technology.com/news/newssaudi-coalition-violated-laws-war-yemen-human-rights-watch-4633092/ Airforce Technology 16 July 2022 27 July 2015 16 July 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220716152937/https://www.airforce-technology.com/news/newssaudi-coalition-violated-laws-war-yemen-human-rights-watch-4633092/ live2015-07-28 Saudi-led raid on Yemen plant appears unlawful: Rights Watch en Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security-hrw-idUSKCN0Q21B720150728 2022-07-17 2022-09-10 https://web.archive.org/web/20220910191447/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security-hrw-idUSKCN0Q21B720150728 liveUN: Almost 1,900 civilians killed in Yemen conflict http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/7/28/un-almost-1900-civilians-killed-in-yemen-conflict.html 2022-07-17 america.aljazeera.com 2022-07-17 https://web.archive.org/web/20220717081527/http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/7/28/un-almost-1900-civilians-killed-in-yemen-conflict.html live and Ole Solvang, speaking for the organization, said, "Again and again, we see coalition airstrikes killing large numbers of civilians, but no signs of any investigation into possible violations." HRW added that "with no evident military target, this attack appears to be a war crime." HRW stated that it visited the site of the incident on 26 July and did not find any signs indicating that the compounds were being used for military purposes. According to the HRW report, two apartment complexes had their roofs partially collapsed as a result of direct bombing. Many of the buildings' external walls were torn off by further explosives that detonated between the buildings, including in the main courtyard, "leaving only the load-bearing pillars standing."2015-07-28 Saudi Arabia-led coalition airstrikes on Mokha is a war crime: HRW https://www.saba.ye/en/news400536.htm 2022-07-17 www.saba.ye en 2022-07-17 https://web.archive.org/web/20220717081052/https://www.saba.ye/en/news400536.htm live One neighbor who witnessed the scene after the attack compared the situation to a scene from Judgement Day, saying that "corpses and heads" were spread around and "engulfed by fire and ashes." Another nearby resident told Amnesty International that the memories of passing by "pools of blood and severed limbs" of more than 20 victims still troubled him nearly a month after the attack.'Nowhere safe for civilians': Airstrikes and ground attacks in Yemen https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/nowhere-safe-civilians-airstrikes-and-ground-attacks-yemen reliefweb.int 18 August 2015 17 July 2022 en 17 July 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220717082452/https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/nowhere-safe-civilians-airstrikes-and-ground-attacks-yemen live According to plant employees, the military facility site that Human Rights Watch identified 100 m ft on southeast of the company's main campus was actually a military air defense base. The staff at the plant said that it had been vacant for months. A military official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that "the coalition had been given incorrect coordinates" and that the coordinates had not come from "anyone in the district". Days after the strike, the Saudi-led coalition battling Houthi rebels in Yemen announced a five-day ceasefire. According to the statement by the Saudi state media, the ceasefire was made at the request of Abed Rabbuh Mansur Hadi to Saudi Arabia's King Salman. The coalition said that it would respond to attacks or movements by Houthis or their allies during the ceasefire. See also Saudi-led intervention in the Yemeni civil war Al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen Yemeni civil war (2014–present) References Category:Saudi Arabian war crimes in the Yemeni civil war (2014–present) Category:2015 crimes in Yemen Category:July 2015 crimes in Asia Category:2015 mass murders Category:Al-Makha district Category:Military intervention in Yemen Category:2015 airstrikes Category:Airstrikes in Yemen Category:Attacks on hospitals during the Yemeni civil war (2014–present) Category:Airstrikes during the Yemeni civil war (2014–present) Category:Taiz Governorate in the Yemeni civil war (2014–present) Category:21st-century mass murders in Yemen Category:Wartime hospital bombings in Asia Category:School bombings in Asia Category:Building bombings in Yemen Category:Attacks on the energy sector Category:2015 building bombings Category:Attacks on schools in 2015