Saudi Arabia to 'scale back' military operations

Baku. 18 March. REPORT.AZ/ Saudi Arabia has said its military coalition will scale back operations against rebels in Yemen.

Report informs citing BBC, the US-backed coalition of mostly Arab states began air strikes a year ago in support of Yemen's internationally recognised government.

A Saudi military spokesman said that the coalition would continue to provide air support to Yemeni forces.

The announcement came as the death toll from airstrike on a market this week doubled to more than 100.

Witnesses said at least two missiles hit the busy market in the Mustaba district of Hajja province, north of the capital Sanaa, an area controlled by the Shia Houthi rebels.

Video footage purportedly of the aftermath of the strike showed what appeared to be the bodies of several children. A UN official said 22 children were among those killed.

In January, a UN panel found that coalition air strikes had targeted civilians in Yemen and assessed that some attacks might constitute crimes against humanity.

The Houthi rebels are fighting forces loyal to exiled President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi. The fighting has killed more than 6,200 civilians, displaced millions and pushed the Arab world's poorest country to the brink of famine.