US Move To Stop Refueling Saudi Coalition Planes Not Tied To Khashoggi Case - State Dept

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th November, 2018) The United States' decision to stop refueling Saudi-led coalition aircraft operating in Yemen is not related to the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a press briefing.

"The air refueling, that was something more in the Department of Defense's lane, but no, those things were not related," Nauert said on Tuesday when asked whether the US decision to suspend air refueling for Arab coalition forces in Yemen was linked to Khashoggi's death.

On Saturday, the Saudi-led coalition said it had informed the United States that it would start to refuel its jets independently. Prior to the Saudi announcement, US lawmakers were demanding a halt to the US aerial refueling of the coalition's aircraft, citing the mounting civilian death toll in Yemen, as well as the Khashoggi murder at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.

US Secretary of Defense James Mattis said in a statement on Saturday that the United States supports the Saudi-led coalition's decision to refuel its aircraft independently.

Mattis went on to say that the US would continue cooperating with the Saudi-led coalition and Yemen to "minimize civilian casualties and expand urgent humanitarian efforts throughout the country," while it would also support the UN effort on crisis settlement.

The coalition supports the Yemeni government in the conflict, carrying out airstrikes targeting the Houthi rebel movement. The conflict has resulted in a huge civilian death toll and led to an acute humanitarian disaster and outbreaks of cholera across the country.

The killing of Khashoggi triggered an escalation of criticism of Saudi authorities. The journalist went missing after visiting the Saudi consulate in early October, and Riyadh eventually acknowledged then that he was killed inside the building.