UN chief condemns Saudi-led airstrikes on Yemen's market

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday condemned the air-strikes carried out by Saudi-led coalition aircrafts on a popular market, north of Yemen's capital Sanaa, which killed at least 65 civilians and injured 55 others.

The air-strikes hit al-Khamees market in Mastaba district in the Hajjah province of Yemen during the rush hour in the afternoon while people were crowding at the public market.

"This incident is one of the deadliest -- reportedly killing and wounding scores of civilians, including women and children -- since the start of the conflict," said Ban in a statement released by his spokesperson.

Ban underscored to all parties the "utmost necessity" to fully respect their obligations international humanitarian and human rights law, saying "attacks directed against civilians and civilian objects, including populated markets, are strictly prohibited," according to the statement.

While requesting prompt and effective investigations into such incidents, Ban also urged all parties to the conflict to cease military activities and to resolve all differences in a new round of UN-facilitated peaceful negotiations.

Yemen has been mired in an all-out civil war since September 2014, when the Shiite Houthi group backed by forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh invaded the capital Sanaa and drove President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi into exile. The war has killed nearly 6,000 people, mostly civilians.

The Saudi-led coalition started daily air bombing on the Shiite Houthi rebels and their allied forces since March 2015, vowing to drive out the rebels and retrieve Sanaa, the capital. Endit