UK appears to put weapons sales above lives of Yemen's children, says charity

The British government is risking its status as a global humanitarian power by continuing to sell weapons bound for use in Yemen, where the conflict is killing three children every day, Save the Children has warned. In a strongly worded intervention accompanying a report on Yemen, the international charity has accused the UK of appearing to put politics and profit above the protection of children.

“The UK prides itself on being a world leader on responding to humanitarian crises, yet its reluctance to publicly condemn the human cost of conflict in Yemen gives the impression that diplomatic relations and arms sales trump the lives of Yemen’s children,” said Edward Santiago, Save the Children’s country director inYemen. “The UK government must not stand by while children are being bombed; it must demand that civilian lives and civilian facilities like hospitals are protected.”