US State Dept. avoids blaming Saudi Arabia for latest massacre in Yemen (video)
BEIRUT, LEBANON (12:45 P.M.) - US State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a press briefing in Washington DC on Thursday that "we don't have the full details about what happened on the ground," when asked about an airstrike that hit the Yemen's Dahyan earlier today leaving at least 50 people, including children, killed.
"We can say that we're certainly concerned about these reports that resulted - that there was an attack that resulted in the deaths of civilians," Nauert said. She went on to add: "We call on the Saudi-led coalition to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the incident."
Pressed to address the toll the Saudi-led coalition airstrikes have taken on Yemeni civilians, Nauert answered: "Let's look at some of the things that have been happening in Yemen. You have the Houthi rebels, who continue to attack Saudi Arabia. They continue to do that with Iranian weapons, missiles and rockets. They continue to try to attack civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, for example. And that is part of the reason why these actions are being taken."
With regards to relations with Russia, the State Department spokesperson said that "We'd like to have a better relationship with the Russian government, recognising that we have a lot of areas of mutual concern."
"It [Russia] is a major country, we are a major country as well. And so when you have that, you are forced to have to have conversations with other governments and sanctions is a way that we can try to encourage better behaviour on the part of government," Nauert stated.
Video credit: Ruptly
If you can't view videos or other embedded visuals, click the link below!
Posted from AMN with SteemPress : https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/us-state-dept-avoids-blaming-saudi-arabia-for-latest-massacre-in-yemen-video/
Follow AMN on Steem to get updates, We follow back :-)
This user is on the @buildawhale blacklist for one or more of the following reasons: