UN experts to investigate war-crimes in Yemen despite Saudi threats

The UN Human Rights Council agreed to send war crimes investigators to Yemen on Friday, overcoming resistance from Saudi Arabia which has consistently sought to fend off an independent international probe. 

Three experts will be sent to the war-torn country to "carry out a comprehensive examination of all alleged violations and abuses of international human rights" committed in the ongoing conflict.

More than 10,000 people, most of which civilians, have been killed since Saudi Arabia led a military coalition into the impoverished neighbouring state, to push back Houthi rebels that overran the capital and other major cities.

On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia threatened economic retaliation against countries that back a UN resolution setting up an international probe into war violations in Yemen.

Riyadh is highly sensitive of criticism about the way it handles the war.

"Adopting The Netherlands/Canadian draft resolution in the Human Rights Council may negatively affect the bilateral political economic relations with Saudi Arabia", a letter circulated by the kingdom and seen by AFP said.

Saudi Arabia "will not accept" the Dutch/Canadian draft, it added, and called for more support to the Yemeni domestic probe, which the UN says lacks credibility.  

The Geneva director for Human Rights Watch, who has also seen the document sent to multiple countries, described the threat as "disgraceful".

"It is outrageous that Saudi Arabia is seeking to use threats of economic and political sanctions to bully states into not supporting the kind of international investigation that could put an end to the abuses," Fisher told AFP. 

"The (Arab) coalition forces have bombed hospitals, they have bombed market places, homes, funeral parlours and it is time for the international community to say enough is enough." 

United Nations rights chief Zeid Raad al-Hussein has repeatedly lobbied the Human Rights Council to create an independent investigation of alleged atrocities in Yemen.

A Saudi-led coalition entered the Yemen war against Houthi rebels in March 2015. 

Civilian targets like markets and hospitals have also been hit during the war, but Saudi Arabia has so far succeeded in blocking an international probe.