The United States stops refueling planes in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia and the United States have decided to end US aid in refueling fighter planes for the war in Yemen. Saudi Arabia announced this Saturday, reported Reuters news agency

. This decision was taken in response to dissatisfaction with the growing number of civilian casualties resulting from the bombing of the Saudi-led international coalition fighting against the Houthis

L & # 39; International instigation over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Instanbul, Turkey, on 2 October, seems to have played a major role in this decision.

Call up cease-fire

In 2014, Shiite Huthi rebels chased the outgoing president to Yemen and conquered the capital, Sanaa. A number of Sunni countries, led by Saudi Arabia, have embarked on a series of bomb attacks for fear of an expansion of Iran's sphere of influence. Shiite. Iran would support the Houthis with equipment, but would still deny it.

The United States and Britain called for a ceasefire in Yemen in October to give the UN a chance to end the four-and-a-half year war, more 10,000 lives and caused one of the world's biggest humanitarian crises. There is a threat of famine. Last week, NRC correspondent Gert van Langendonck wrote:

"According to UNICEF figures, 1.8 million children in Yemen suffer from malnutrition, of which 400,000 are acute patients It's not so much that there is no food in stock, but it does not affect the market or the population can not afford to pay the price. " the full of fighter planes in the air is still not clear. When refueling in flight, combat aircraft have greater autonomy. But only one member of the coalition coalition led by Saudi Arabia needs help from the United States.

Other forms of US military support, such as training, continue. The United States also continues to supply arms to Saudi Arabia, the largest consumer of US weapons in the world. Between 2013 and 2017, Saudi Arabia accounted for 18% of all US arms sales.