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U.N. Body of Experts for Yemen to Stay in Service until Further Notice | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Child soldiers with Houthis hold weapons in Sana’a, Yemen. Reuters.


New York- In its upcoming session on February 23, the United Nations Security Council will be extending, until further notice, the service of the committee of experts put together by Security Council resolution 2140 for Yemen.

The committee is known to have shed light on extreme violations committed by coup militias in Yemen.

Iran-aligned Houthis and armed loyalists supporting ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh are leading an armed insurgency aiming to overturn the constitutionally and internationally backed government headed by President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi.

A recently released report issued by U.N. experts on the situation in Yemen revealed that Iran-backed Houthi militants have staged violations ranging from corruption to torture.

Not only did the report expose the steep financial corruption within the insurgency, but it also said that coup militias violated the humanitarian international law during the ongoing conflict in Yemen.

Houthis resort to torture against those who oppose them and they strictly control intelligence and security institutions, the report said, adding that ousted president Saleh controls a network of tribal, political and military allies and that the Houthis have a military, political wing and decisions are still made by Abdul-Malik al-Houthi.

The report added that rebels fund their battles through shadow economy like drug trade, smuggling and black market sales.

The report also accused the Houthis of targeting Saudi cities with missiles and rockets.

More so, U.N. experts have urged that sanctions imposed on names enlisted for violations continue, so that insurgency crimes in Yemen do not go unpunished.