“The
Saudi Arabia-led coalition is using US-supplied cluster munitions in
its airstrikes on Houthi forces in Yemen, Human Rights Watch
reported. Targets include those close to villages, posing a threat
from undetonated submunitions to civilians. In recent weeks the
coalition has used cluster bombs in Yemen’s northern Saada
governorate, a region bordering Saudi Ararbia, which is historically
controlled by the rebels, HRW said.”
“Cluster
munitions contain hundreds of smaller explosive submunitions that are
spread over a wide area. This type of weapon is dangerous because
some subminitions aren’t immediately detonated and can lie dormant
for decades before exploding. Civilians and particularly children
have been historically the primary victims of such booby traps. An
international convention signed by 116 countries prohibits the use of
cluster munitions, but the US, members of the Saudi-led Arab
coalition and Yemen itself are not among the signatories. US arms
export guidelines, however, demand that any cluster weapons sold to
foreign nations are only used against 'clearly defined military
targets and will not be used where civilians are known to be present
or in areas normally inhabited by civilians.'”
“HRW
says it received photo and video evidence as well as eyewitness
accounts of the coalition using cluster bombs in its air raids on
Houthis. In one case, they appeared to land on a field within 600
meters of several dozen civilian buildings. [...] The organization
identified the weapons used as CBU-105 Sensor Fuzed Weapons
manufactured by the Textron Systems Corporation. It’s a
450-kilogram bomb containing 10 BLU-108 submunitions, which are
dispersed in the air, are parachuted down. They then disperse smaller
submunitions that detect armor vehicles like tanks and APCs and
destroy them from above.”
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