Deliberate destruction of civilian structures in Yemeni conflict must stop: UN relief wing

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported continued damage to civilian buildings and infrastructure in Yemen, and urged an end to such a "deliberate or indiscriminate destruction," Farhan Haq, the deputy UN spokesman, said here Friday.

"The deliberate or indiscriminate destruction of civilian infrastructure during conflict is against international humanitarian law and must stop," Haq said at a daily news briefing here. "All parties to the conflict have an obligation to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure from the effects of attacks. "

In Sa'adah City, preliminary UN satellite imagery analysis has identified widespread damage to infrastructure, he said, adding that four medical facilities were identified within 100 meters of damaged and destroyed buildings.

Also, in Haradh District, in the Hajjah Governorate, a warehouse that contained hygiene kits, water and sanitation supplies was damaged in an airstrike, he added.

The United Nations will host a conference on Yemen next week in Geneva, despite uncertainty over who will attend.

Yemen has mired in political gridlock since 2011 when mass protests forced former President Ali Abdullash Saleh to step down.

The three-year reconciliation talks failed to resolve the crisis but create huge power vacuum that could benefit the powerful al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula and other extremist groups.

Yemen is the base of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), a powerful offshoot of the jihadist militant group that has carried out similar suicide attacks on Houthi supporters.

However, the terrorist Islamic State (IS), also known as ISIL or ISIS, is also gaining ground in the country. Endite