Rights Organization: Introduction of Emirati Weapons into Yemen Violates International Law and Threatens Civil Peace

Yemen Monitor – Newsroom:

The Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms strongly condemned the act of the United Arab Emirates in introducing two ships loaded with large quantities of weapons and heavy military equipment into the port of Mukalla, considering it a serious escalation that exacerbates the cycle of armed conflict, threatens civilian lives, and undermines peace in the eastern provinces, which had relatively enjoyed stability.

The Network affirmed that these actions constitute a blatant violation of the provisions of international law and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2216, which prohibits the supply of weapons to non-governmental entities in Yemen. It noted that this step contravenes the obligations of UN member states not to undermine Yemen’s sovereignty and not to fuel the conflict.

The Network emphasized that field documents collected by its teams in Hadramawt and Al-Mahra provinces confirm the involvement of forces affiliated with theSTC in widespread violations against civilians. This makes any party supplying such forces with weapons complicit in international responsibility, whether through contribution, complicity, or facilitation.

The Network stated that storing heavy weapons and combat vehicles within civilian facilities crowded with residents is a dangerous act and a deliberate violation of the rules for civilian protection, contravening the responsibilities of states to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure under the rules of international humanitarian law.

It highlighted that these violations are not incidental breaches but rather a systematic pattern that exposes civilians and vital facilities, especially oil installations and residential areas, to severe risks, threatening the safety of residents and violating the internationally guaranteed rights to life and security.

The Network called on the international community, the United Nations, and the Security Council to assume their legal and moral responsibilities by opening an independent and transparent international investigation, ensuring accountability for those involved, and preventing the recurrence of such violations to protect Yemen’s sovereignty, civilian lives, and regional peace.