JIAT Issues Statement on Allegation that Coalition Forces Targeting Mosque in Amran Governorate

The Joint Incidents Assessment Team (JIAT) issued a statement regarding the allegation that Coalition Forces targeted a mosque in Al-Sawad in Amran governorate on 23/09/2019 as follows:
 “With regard to the announcement dated 24/09/2019 by the United Nations Resident Coordinator and humanitarian affairs coordinator in Yemen, that on 23/09/2019 an airstrike targeted a mosque in Al-Sawad in Amran governorate.
 JIAT vetted the incident, and reviewed all documents, including air tasking orders, daily mission schedule, mission execution procedures, after mission reports, satellite images, JIAT members visit to the operation centers and related field units, meeting those involved in the planning and implementation of air missions and listening to their statements, Coalition Forces rules of engagement, provisions and principles of International Humanitarian Law and its customary rules, and after assessment of evidences, JIAT found that there is an area in Amran governorate called Ozlat Al-Sawad, located in the western part of Harf Sufyan directorate of Amran governorate. Coordinates of the claimed location were not provided.
 By studying the air missions carried out by the Coalition Forces on 23/09/2019, which is the date of the claim, JIAT found that the Coalition Forces did not carry out any air missions on Amran governorate.
 By studying the daily mission schedule carried out by the Coalition Forces on 22/09/2019, the day before the date of the claim, JIAT found that intelligence information was received by Coalition Forces stating that Al-Houthi armed militia is equipping a large number of its fighter elements at mobilization sites specific boxes in Harf Sufyan directorate of Amran governorate, in preparation to launch a major attack on the legitimate forces, and the situation requires monitoring and targeting them immediately, at specific coordinates forming a number of 4 boxes, which is considered to be a legitimate military target, that achieves a concrete direct and certain military advantage, based on Article 52 of the First Additional Protocol of the Geneva Conventions and rule 8 of customary international humanitarian Law.
 The degrees of verification were available by the real time monitoring operations, where the mission executed formation flight spotted several gatherings of fighting elements belonging to Al-Houthi armed militia in mobilization sites inside the specific boxes, in Harf Sufyan directorate of Amran governorate, based on rule 16 of customary international humanitarian law.
 Accordingly, the Coalition Forces at 9:32 pm on 22/09/2019 carried out an air mission on a legitimate military targets gatherings of fighting elements belonging to Al-Houthi armed militia, in mobilization sites specific boxes in Harf Sufyan directorate of Amran governorate, using guided bombs that hit their targets.
 While dealing with those fighter gatherings, one of them moved to a nearby room and stayed inside it, therefore the legal protection provided to the civilian objects lost, for using it to contribute to military operations, based on Article 52 of the First Additional Protocol of the Geneva Conventions and rule 8 of customary international humanitarian Law.
 The Coalition Forces have taken the possible precautions to avoid accidental loss or damage to civilian and civilian objects, or in any case, minimize it to the lowest possible, during the planning and execution of the military operation, based on article 57 of the First Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions, and rules 15 and 17 of customary international humanitarian law, through the following:
 Using guided bombs which commensurate with the size of the military targets.
 Ensuring that there were no civilians before and during the targeting.
 JIAT specialists studied the satellite images of the claimed location, before and after the date of the claim, and found the following:
 1. The room is located in Ozlat Al-Sawad, in a remote isolated area, and no civilian objects or paved road near it.
 2. No signs to clarify the nature of the room.
 3. Traces of areal targeting on the room.
 BY studying the statement of the air crew carrying out the air mission, JIAT found the following:
 1. The tasked air formation was instructed to wait in a safe area, until the arrival of the fighter aircraft assigned to suppress any threats caused by the enemy defenses, and then enter the target area.
 2. The tasked air formation spotted several gatherings at the specified locations inside the boxes, and while dealing with them, a group of them escaped to a room and stayed inside it, and was dealt with.
 3. The tasked air formation was threatened by a radar lock by a surface-to-air missile (SAM) in the target area.
 By comparing what was stated in the claim with the mission carried the day before the date of the claim, JIAT found the following:
 1. The claim stated that the coalition forces targeted a mosque in Al-Sawad in Amran governorate, while the Coalition Forces targeted gatherings of fighting elements belonging to Al-Houthi armed militia in mobilization sites consist of specific boxes, and while dealing with them, one of them escaped to a room, and stayed inside it.
 2. The time of the prayer Al-Esha prayer on September 22 in Harf Sufyan area, where the room is located was at around 08:06 pm, and the time of the air mission was at 09:32 pm.
 3. The claim stated that the targeting was on a mosque, but it was not proved to JIAT the existence of a mosque, through its indications and its customary description, as the presence of a minaret.
 In light of that, JIAT found the following:
 The procedures taken by Coalition Forces, in dealing with the legitimate military targets gatherings of fighting elements belonging to Al-Houthi armed militia, in mobilization sites specific boxes, and one group moved to a room and stayed inside it, in Harf Sufyan directorate of Amran governorate, on 22/09/2019, were correct and in accordance with the International Humanitarian Law and its customary rules.
 JIAT did not find out that there was a mosque at the targeted location, as stated in the claim, but it is not excluded that the room is used for prayer.
 It is appropriate for Coalition states to provide voluntary assistance for the damage caused to the room, if it was proved that it was used as a prayer room."