UN Secretary-General 'concerned' about Yemeni civilian deaths

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday expressed concern about civilian casualties resulting from Saudi-led military operations in Yemen.

"The Secretary-General reminds all parties involved in military operations in Yemen of their obligations under international humanitarian law to ensure the protection of civilians," according to a statement issued from Ban's office.

Ban singled out Monday's strike on a refugee camp in the west of Yemen, as well as recent reported attacks against several hospitals in the south of the country, the statement said.

At least 40 people were killed in an airstrike on the al-Mazriq refugee camp near Yemen's border with Saudi Arabia.

The camp houses displaced families from Yemen's northern Saada province who fled due to earlier fighting between the Houthis and government forces.

The UN chief called for a "strict adherence to the principles of proportionality, distinction, and precaution."

Since last Wednesday, Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies have pounded positions held by the Shiite Houthi militant group across Yemen.

Riyadh says the strikes are in response to appeals by Yemen's UN-backed President Abd Rabbu Manshour Hadi to "save the [Yemeni] people from the Houthi militias".

Many commentators believe the conflict carries the undertones of a proxy war between Sunni Arab states and Iran, a predominantly Shiite country.

Meanwhile, AFP reported that at least 62 children have been killed and 30 injured in Yemen over the past week as fighting has escalated with a Saudi-led air campaign, according to the UN children's agency UNICEF.

"Children are in desperate need of protection, and all parties to the conflict should do all in their power to keep children safe," said UNICEF's representative for Yemen, Julien Harneis on Tuesday.

UNICEF said the fighting was severely damaging health and education services, and exacerbating already precarious conditions for children who are facing a food crisis and acute malnutrition.

The violence is leaving children terrified and more of them are being recruited as child soldiers, UNICEF said.

The United Nations earlier pulled its last remaining 13 foreign employees from Yemen, while its peace envoy, Moroccan diplomat Jamal Benomar, relocated to Jordan to try to revive negotiations.

"It's difficult in a time of war to get negotiations going, but it's precisely crucial to do so at that very time," UN spokesman Farhan Haq said.

"We need to get the fighting stopped and we need to get everything back on track."

The United Nations is backing embattled President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi as Yemen's legitimate leader in the face of the Huthi uprising that has plunged the poor Arab state deeper into chaos.

Hadi has fled to Saudi Arabia, which has accused Iran of backing the Huthis in a bid to bolster its influence in the region.