A Houthi arms depot explodes after it was hit by air strikes in Sanaa, Yemen January 31, 2018.

:: Yemeni Interior Minister Ahmed Al-Misri said on Monday that the “delay in finalizing the war” against Houthi militias has been down to the legitimate government forces ensuring that they “respect human rights during the ongoing battles.”

His statements came during his meeting in the temporary capital of Aden with a team of international human rights experts which the United Nations Human Rights Council assigned to discuss “violations against Yemeni civilians.”

Misri discussed the Houthi crimes against civilians and how they intentionally shell residential neighborhoods and store weapons there and use citizens as human shields to avoid airstrikes.

He also accused the Houthis of thwarting peace attempts and insisting to resume the war to implement Iran’s agenda without taking the Yemeni people’s interest into consideration.

Mohammed Jandoubi, the head of the team of experts, voiced the importance of finding a peaceful solution and unifying efforts to end the conflict.

During a meeting with Minister of Human Rights Mohammed Askar, Jandoubi said the team is an independent international party that will visit different conflict zones in the country and meet with everyone without making any exceptions.

The team will raise a final fact-finding report on violations against civilians to the Human Rights Council in the end of this year.

Meanwhile, Askar voiced his ministry’s readiness to facilitate the team’s tasks and to thoroughly examine the violations committed by the Houthi militia.