MSF: No Legitimate Reason for Saudi Attacks on Yemen Hospitals

Saudis Launched 'Unjustified and Unprovoked' Attacks

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has released the results of its internal investigation into the Saudi Arabian airstrikes against their hospital in Abs, Yemen, finding that the sites were fully functioning health facilities and that there was no sign that the “impartiality” of the sites was compromised.

The report concluded that there was “no legitimate reason” that the site should’ve been the target of an attack, and that the Saudi airstrikes were “unjustified and unprovoked,” and underscored a blatant disregard for civilians in the air war.

MSF withdrew from Yemen after the Abs attack in August, noting that they were unable to get any real assurances from the Saudis that their hospitals wouldn’t be attacked more. The Saudi coalition had promised an investigation after the strike, but nothing appears to have ever come with it.

The Abs facility attack killed 19 people and wounded 24. One staff member was among the slain. In addition to staff, the hospital held 23 patients in surgery, 25 in the waternity ward, 12 in pediatrics, and 13 newborns. There was no sign the newborns, nor indeed anyone else, was a “military” target.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.