Arab coalition in Yemen to probe reports of wedding strike

Spokesman of the combined armed forces said the coalition was committed to protecting civilian life

<p>Colonel Turki&nbsp;Al Maliki, spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition forces against Houthi forces, addresses a news conference in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia.&nbsp;Ahmed Yosri&nbsp;/ EPA /&nbsp;April 16Show more

The Arab coalition conducting military operations in Yemen said Monday it will investigate reports that an air strike hit a wedding tent in the northern province of Hajjah a day earlier.

"Colonel Turki Al Maliki says the coalition will investigate reports of alleged strikes that hit a wedding party in the northern province of Hajjaj," Saudi state channel Al Ekhbariya wrote, referring to the coalition's spokesman.

According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Col Al Maliki said on Monday that the coalition supporting the internationally-recognised government in Yemen was "reviewing the post-action procedures for all its executed operations, especially in the place and time of the alleged incident", acknowledging reports of the Hajjah strike.

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The media reports originated from health officials in Hajjah, who reported that more than 20 people were killed and more than 50 others wounded.

Col Al Maliki said the coalition was committed to conducting its operations in accordance with international humanitarian law, especially the protection of civilian life based on "the assumption that every person in Yemen is a civilian until proven otherwise”.

The coalition is operating in Yemen in support of the government that was ousted from the capital, Sanaa, by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in March 2015.

More than 10,000 people have been killed in the conflict that the UN has called the world's worst humanitarian disaster.