The US military is distancing itself from the Saudi-led coalition’s war in Yemen following airstrikes against civilian targets, including hospitals, reported CNN.
The U.S. military has slashed the number of intelligence advisers directly supporting the Saudi-led coalition’s air war in Yemen, after Saudi Arabia has faced repeated criticism from rights groups over civilian casualties in its 17-month campaign against rebels in Yemen, according to Military American website.
U.S. officials have regularly urged their major Middle East ally to avoid harming non-combatants in Yemen, said “Military”, adding that the move is intended to better coordinate with naval commandos in Bahrain, citing a the pentagon spokesman Adam Stump.
Fifth Fleet spokesman Lieutenant Ian McConnaughey told AFP from Bahrain that the U.S. reassignment of personnel does not affect their ability to support the Saudis and is a more efficient allocation of resources.
“The United States now has a limited number, less than five, that are working directly on the advisory cell that we have here in Bahrain. That number is down from about 45 in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia”, McConnaughey added.
The Arab coalition began with air raids and later sent in ground forces to support the internationally recognized government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi after the Houthis and their allies overran much of Yemen.
