An Armed Yemeni boy loyal to the Shiite Huthi movement poses for a picture during a tribal gathering against al-Qaeda militants in the Bani al-Harith area, north of Sanaa, on August 17, 2014. Yemen faces multiple domestic problems, including ongoing insecurity and insurgencies posed by Shiite Houthi fighters, southern separatists and the al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). AFP PHOTO / MOHAMMED HUWAIS (Photo credit should read MOHAMMED HUWAIS/AFP/Getty Images)

The recruitment of children and the involvement of Britain in the war in Yemen

On Apr 1, 2019

YemenExtra

M.A.

Britain’s Daily Mail has agreed to provide information to the United Nations on the recruitment of children in Yemen, saying its revelations about the recruitment of children and the possible involvement of British troops in the war in Yemen have provoked strong reactions.

After publishing its report on Yemen last week, the paper received a request for information from the official team of UN experts on Yemen, which advises the Security Council on the state of the conflict.

According to Daily Mail, 13-year-old Yemeni children are treated on the basis that they are capable of fighting alongside adults.

The newspaper said that the British Ministry of Defense found itself obliged earlier to justify its support for Saudi Arabia after the disclosure of the participation of military engineers in providing technical support for Saudi aircraft, and training Saudi forces before heading to Yemen.

The newspaper published pictures of last year’s children involved in the Yemen war, and said British troops in Yemen, although not involved in offensive roles, were ready to respond to protect themselves.

Daily Mail also spoke of speculation that members of the British Air Force were involved in the bombing of a children’s hospital in Yemen a few days ago.

On the other hand, the British Guardian newspaper revealed four days ago that British Secretary of State for Asia Mark Field promised to investigate reports of training British troops child fighters within the Saudi-UAE forces in Yemen.

Field said there were reports that 40 percent of the Saudi coalition forces in Yemen were children.

The British minister promised an investigation into allegations that a number of British soldiers were wounded by British special forces in a clash with a Houthi force in Yemen.

British involvement

British journalist and Middle East expert Bill Lo said in a previous interview with Al Jazeera that the British inquiry into the allegations of British soldiers being trained as soldiers of the Saudi-UAE alliance in the war in Yemen would arrive at evidence to confirm the allegations.

While Yemeni political and jurist Ibrahim al-Qutbi revealed that British newspapers have documents and evidence confirming the British army training children.

He added that the British government will prevent publication of the results of the investigation, which is being examined by the Secretary of State Mark Field, stressing that the results will be included under the confidential files should not be disclosed.

He pointed out that the Yemeni rights that Britain is part of the crime and war in Yemen, in support of the UAE and Saudi armies strategically and sell them arms, adding that it recognizes that the two armies are recruiting children in the war. Al-Qutibi spoke of a covert colonialism led by Britain in Yemen.