The Geneva-based UN human rights office (OHCHR) on Friday said that it received extremely worrying reports suggesting civilians and civilian objects have been targeted over the past two weeks in the southwestern port of Al Mokha in Taizz governorate in Yemen.

It said that while the intense fighting made it impossible for its field monitors to access the area and to verify the number of civilian casualties, "credible reports" indicate that civilians were caught in an intolerable situation between warring parties giving them opposing instructions.

The popular committees affiliated with the Houthis and their allies warned civilians not to leave their homes while pro-government and coalition forces were demanding that they evacuate, the UN office said.

In a statement, OHCHR added that credible reports indicate that Houthi-affiliated snipers shot at families attempting to flee their homes in Houthi-controlled areas, suggesting the use of civilians as human shields.

"In at least one incident, on Jan. 22, 11 civilians were reportedly killed and four injured inside a house that was struck by an air strike," the statement noted.

Reports received by UN also show that more than 200 houses have been either partially damaged or completely destroyed by air strikes in the past two weeks.

source: Xinhua