Condemning Air Strike on Yemen Hospital, Secretary-General Urges Parties Pursue Negotiated Solution to Conflict

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General condemns the reported coalition air strike on a rural hospital supported by Médecins Sans Frontières in Hajjah, Yemen, today.

The Secretary-General notes that the parties to the conflict in Yemen have damaged or destroyed over 70 health centres, including three other Médecins Sans Frontières-supported facilities.  He is deeply disturbed by the intensification of air strikes and continuing ground fighting and shelling, especially in populated areas.  The shrinking humanitarian space and limited access to essential services for Yemenis, a situation exacerbated by the return to full-scale hostilities, is a matter of ever greater concern.

Hospitals and medical personnel are explicitly protected under international humanitarian law and any attack directed against them, or against any civilian persons or infrastructure, is a serious violation of international humanitarian law.  All such attacks should be investigated through prompt, effective, independent and impartial mechanisms.

The Secretary-General reiterates his call on all parties to the Yemeni conflict to immediately implement the cessation of hostilities and to renew their engagement — without delay and in good faith — with his Special Envoy for Yemen in pursuit of a negotiated solution.