International reactions to the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen (2015–present)
International reactions to the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen of 2015 were mixed. Most other Arab League nations and several Western governments backed the Saudi Arabia-led military coalition, but other governments warned against an escalation in the violent situation in Yemen. Evacuations and other actions. The Royal Saudi Navy evacuated diplomats and United Nations staff from Aden to Jeddah on 28 March 2015. Pakistan dispatched two special PIA flights to evacuate some 500 stranded Pakistanis on 29 March 2015. Several UN staff members and Arab diplomats were also  evacuated following the airstrikes. The Indian government responded by deploying ships and planes to Yemen to evacuate stranded Indians. Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj stated that since all the airports in Yemen were closed, they planned to bring people to the neighbouring country of Djibouti by ship, and from there to India by aircraft. India began evacuating hundreds of its citizens on 2 April 2015, via a commercial liner docked in Aden port. An air evacuation of Indian nationals from Sana'a to Djibouti was carried out on 3 April 2015, after the Indian government obtained permission to land two Airbus A320s  at the airport. The Indian Armed Forces, in a rescue operation codenamed "Operation Raahat," evacuated more than 4640 Indian nationals along with 960 foreign nationals from 41 countries. The operation ended on 11 April 2015.<ref name="http://www.hindustantimes.com/ 2015"></ref> A Chinese missile frigate docked in Aden on 29 March 2015 to evacuate Chinese nationals from Yemen. The ship reportedly deployed soldiers ashore on 2 April 2015 to guard the evacuation of civilians from the city. The Chinese frigate evacuated 225 foreign citizens from 10 different countries in what Reuters described as "the first time that China's military has helped other  countries evacuate their people during an international crisis". China also evacuated 571 of its own nationals and eight foreigners who worked for Chinese companies in Yemen. The Ethiopian Foreign Ministry said it would airlift its citizens out of Yemen if they requested to be evacuated. There were reportedly more than 50,000 Ethiopian nationals living and working in Yemen at the outbreak of hostilities. Malaysia also planned to evacuate its 879 citizens from Yemen, according to its Foreign Minister, Anifah Aman, but it was unclear whether they would be moved out by air or land. Timeline of events. On 4 April  2015, the ICRC called for a 24-hour humanitarian ceasefire after the coalition blocked three aid shipments to Yemen. Russia also called for "humanitarian pauses" in the coalition bombing campaign, bringing the idea before the United Nations Security Council in a 4 April emergency meeting. However, Saudi Arabia's UN ambassador raised questions over whether humanitarian pauses are the best way of delivering humanitarian assistance. On 7 April, China renewed calls for an immediate ceasefire. On 10 April, Julien Harneis (UNICEF Yemen representative) said to CNN, "The humanitarian situation is worsening all the time, with increasingly limited access to water , basic sanitation and critical health services,". As a result, UNICEF sent antibiotics, bandages, syringes, IV sets and other medical supplies. On 10 April, the Pakistani Parliament declined a Saudi Arabian request to join the coalition. The Parliament clarified the wish to maintain a neutral diplomatic stance. On 14 April, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution placing an arms embargo on three top Houthi leaders, including Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, as well as Saleh and his son, Ahmed Ali Saleh. The embargo also covered their supporters and called on the Houthis to retreat and lay down arms. Other provisions in  the resolution include appointing UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, to "facilitate" the provision of aid, including humanitarian pauses. It also called on all involved parties to participate in peace talks in Riyadh. The resolution was sponsored by the Gulf States and Jordan, which held a rotating Security Council seat. On 16 April, the UN Special Envoy to Yemen, Jamal Benomar, resigned, citing his failure to negotiate an end to the conflicts. Benomar brokered the post-Arab Spring transition in which Hadi replaced Saleh. Following the resignation, Secretary General Ban called for an immediate ceasefire to facilitate the delivery of  aid. On 16 April, a group of US- and UK-based Yemen scholars wrote an open letter, stating that the operation was illegal under international law and calling for the UN to enforce an immediate ceasefire. On 17 April, Iran submitted to the United Nations a four-point peace proposal aimed at ending the conflict. The proposal called for an immediate ceasefire and end of all foreign military attacks, humanitarian assistance, a resumption of broad national dialogue and "establishment of an inclusive national unity government". Exiled Yemeni officials later rejected the deal, calling it a political manoeuvre. Russia confirmed its  backing of the proposal and said that it would use its full capacity to further the plan. The UN on 17 April called for 274 million US dollars in humanitarian aid to meet the needs of 7.5 million people over three months. The same day, Saudi Arabia pledged to fund the entire appeal. However, the UN agency responsible opted to keep the appeal open, stating that it "urged other donors to provide more support to meet increasing needs across the country." On 18 April, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced that Chinese president, Xi Jinping, had called King Salman and urged  him to increase efforts to find a political solution to end the crisis. On 19 April, Oxfam condemned Saudi Arabia over airstrikes it said hit one of its warehouses containing humanitarian supplies in Saada. On 21 April, the Iranian Foreign Minister announced that he was hopeful that a ceasefire would be under effect later in the day. Mauritanian diplomat, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, was nominated by Secretary General Ban to replace Jamal Benomar, who resigned on 16 April. His nomination was confirmed on 25 April. On 24 April, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation announced it would hold an extraordinary meeting  to discuss the situation. Aid groups came out against the air campaign: Amnesty International said some of the coalition's airstrikes "appear to have failed to take necessary precautions to minimize harm to civilians and damage to civilian objects". Reporters without Borders condemned a strike in Sanaa on 20 April that caused the deaths of four employees of Al-Yemen Al-Youm TV and injured ten others; it also condemned attacks on journalists by pro-Houthi forces. On 24 April, thousands of Nigerians demonstrated in Kano following Friday prayers to denounce the Saudi attacks. On 25 April, professor Sami Ramadani  of London Metropolitan University claimed Hadi was violating Yemen's Constitution. Under article 35, "No organization, individual, group, political party or organization may establish forces or paramilitary groups for whatever purpose or under any name". Additionally, under article 68, "no other [non-state-established] armed force may enter the House premises or take positions near its entrances except at the request of the Speaker." On 27 April, Benomar told The Wall Street Journal that Yemeni political parties had been close to agreeing on a final peace deal before the airstrikes started. On 29 April, peace activist group "Women's Power  to Stop War" demanded an end to the conflict and sent letters to over 10 embassies and representatives, denouncing the conflict following a plea by Yemeni activist, Amal Basha. By the end of April, the US government was pressuring Saudi Arabia to end the airstrikes, with National Security Advisor, Susan E. Rice, saying, "There is no military solution to the crisis in Yemen, and the humanitarian situation will only worsen if the conflict continues." Also on 29 April, US State Department spokesperson, Marie Harf, said the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Federica  Mogherini, had discussed the situation, with particular emphasis on pushing forward political negotiations. On 30 April, the ICRC (Red Cross) and the World Food Program (WFP) said aid delivery had become difficult-to-impossible, with WFP suspending operations, due to ongoing fighting, air transport restrictions, and the destruction of Sanaa airport. On 1 May, the UNSC held an emergency meeting, called by Russia, to discuss the crisis. The council did not agree on a Russian-drafted statement demanding an immediate ceasefire in what the Russian delegate called "amazing indecision." Diplomats said they rejected the Russian statement as they "needed time  to consider the wording." A US official said the US was working directly with the Saudi government to facilitate aid delivery, and condemned Houthi and pro-Saleh fighters for failing to abide by an earlier UN resolution calling on them to end fighting. An unnamed diplomat told AFP that diplomats had agreed in principle with the Russian resolution, but failed to agree on the exact wording. On 2 May, Kerry stated that the US, the UN, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were working on peace negotiations between the government and the rebels. On 4 May, the UN called  on the coalition to stop attacking Sanaa Airport to allow delivery of humanitarian aid. ICRC head in Yemen, Cedric Schweizer, said "The harsh restrictions on importations imposed by the Coalition for the past six weeks, added to the extreme fuel shortages, have made the daily lives of Yemenis unbearable, and their suffering immense". WFP stated that its monthly fuel needs had increased from 40,000 to 1 million litres. On 6 May, Kerry pledged to discuss the implementation of a humanitarian pause with Saudi officials. Kerry, on a visit to Djibouti, urged all sides "to comply with humanitarian law to take  every precaution to keep civilians out of the line of fire." On 7 May, after Saudi/US discussions, Saudi Arabia proposed a five-day ceasefire. Two Houthi leaders told CNN that they would meet soon to discuss the proposal. Hours later, coalition spokesman said that forces would continue "a harsh response" to Houthis' attacks on the areas along the Kingdom's southern border. On 8 May, the Russian UN envoy said that he expected UN-brokered peace talks to resume quickly and warned that sending ground troops into Yemen would be "a reckless escalation". A UN official commented on the  recently announced ceasefire saying that it would not be enough to accommodate Yemen's humanitarian needs stating that a UN-chartered fuel vessel was still waiting off the coast. On 10 May, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen stated that the attacks on Saada province were in breach of international law. On 29 June, Secretary General Ban denounced a coalition airstrike that had hit a UN compound in Aden the previous day and requested a full investigation. On 20 January 2016, Angus Robertson, the SNP's Parliamentary Group Leader, said the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, should admit to British  involvement in Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen: "Isn't it time for the Prime Minister to admit that Britain is effectively taking part in a war in Yemen that is costing thousands of civilians lives and he has not sought parliamentary approval to do this?"