Riyadh, April 24, 2024, The Joint Incidents Assessment Team (JIAT) has released a statement addressing allegations that Coalition Forces targeted the Al-Ghail Health Center in the Al-Ghail directorate of Al-Jawf governorate on February 24, 2016. The statement, issued today, outlines the findings of JIAT's investigation into these allegations.
The statement begins by referencing a report from Physicians for Human Rights issued in March 2020, which claimed that on February 24, 2016, Coalition Forces aircraft dropped three munitions on the Al-Ghail Health Center. According to the report, the health center was allegedly being used as a military center by the Al-Houthi armed militia at the time of the attack, resulting in partial destruction of the building.
JIAT conducted a thorough vetting of the incident, reviewing a range of documents and evidence, including air tasking orders, daily mission schedules, mission execution procedures, after-mission reports, satellite images, coordinates of health centers and hospitals provided by the legitimate Yemeni government, and Coalition Forces Rules of Engagement. Additionally, JIAT considered provisions and principles of International Humanitarian Law and its customary rules.
After assessing the evidence, JIAT found that the Al-Ghail Health Center is located in the southern part of Al-Ghail city in Al-Jawf governorate and is included in the Coalition Forces No Strike List (NSL).
Reviewing the air missions carried out by Coalition Forces on February 24, 2016, JIAT determined that the forces targeted a military objective, specifically a gathering of fighter elements belonging to the Al-Houthi armed militia in a vacant area located 2900 meters away from the claimed location of the health center. One guided bomb was used in this mission, successfully hitting its target.
Further examination of daily mission schedules from the day before and after the alleged incident showed that no air missions were conducted in the Al-Ghail directorate on February 23, 2016. On February 25, 2016, an air mission was conducted on a military target (another gathering of fighter elements belonging to the Al-Houthi armed militia), located 2800 meters away from the claimed location of the health center.
JIAT's specialists studied satellite images of the Al-Ghail Health Center and noted the presence of a main building and two annexes surrounded by a fence. However, there were traces of damage in the vicinity of the health center, the cause of which JIAT could not determine.
Upon comparing the details of the claim with the actual air mission conducted, JIAT identified several discrepancies. The description of the claimed location (Al-Ghail Health Center) did not match the description of the military target (a gathering of fighter elements belonging to the Al-Houthi armed militia in a vacant area). Additionally, the number of munitions stated in the claim (three) did not correspond to the number of munitions used in the actual mission (one bomb). Furthermore, the distance between the claimed location of the health center and the military target (2900 meters) was considered a safe distance outside the side effects of the bomb.
In conclusion, JIAT found that Coalition Forces did not target the Al-Ghail Health Center in the Al-Ghail directorate of Al-Jawf governorate on February 24, 2016, as alleged.
