The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights says the Saudi-led coalition's military campaign in Yemen appears to be responsible for a "disproportionate amount" of attacks on civilian areas.
Speaking at the Security Council's first public meeting on Yemen since the Saudi-led bombing campaign began nine months ago, Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein on Tuesday said he had "observed with extreme concern" heavy shelling from the ground and air in areas of Yemen with a high concentration of civilians and the destruction of civilian infrastructure, such as hospitals and schools.
He said all parties to the conflict were responsible "although a disproportionate amount appeared to be the result of air strikes carried out by coalition forces".
, but a mounting civilian death toll and dire humanitarian situation has alarmed human rights groups.
Western nations have been quietly increasing pressure on Saudi Arabia to seek a political deal to end the conflict, UN diplomats have said.
Diplomats said Tuesday's session was convened to shine a spotlight on the conflict and pressure all sides to seek a negotiated end to the bloodshed.
"I further call on the council to do everything within its power to help restrain the use of force by all parties and to urge all sides to abide by the basic principles of international humanitarian law," Zeid said.
Warring parties in Yemen agreed to a renewable seven-day ceasefire under UN auspices that started on December 15, but it has been repeatedly violated.
The United Nations says the conflict has killed nearly 6000 people, almost half of them civilians.
Zeid said more than 600 children had been killed and some 900 injured - a five-fold increase compared to 2014.
A first round of peace talks adjourned on Sunday and the UN's envoy to Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, said the two sides would meet again on January 14.
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