UN rights council prolongs Yemen war crimes probe despite Sanaa, Riyadh objections

The UN Human Rights Council voted by 21 votes to eight on Friday in favor of prolonging an inquiry into human rights in Yemen, overriding objections from Yemen and Saudi Arabia. An expert group mandated by the council last year still has work to do, said supporters of the resolution, including Canada and the EU. Opponents say it would exacerbate the crisis and increase regional instability. Last month, the experts said airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition in the war in Yemen had caused heavy civilian casualties and some may amount to war crimes. Saudi Arabia rejected their findings. Saudi Arabia is leading a Western-backed alliance of Sunni Muslim Arab states trying to restore the internationally recognized government of Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. It was ousted from the capital Sanaa by the Houthis in 2015.