Human rights group calls on US and Yemen to avoid civilian deaths in fight against al-Qaida

Watchdog: US, Yemen must avoid civilian casualties

SAN’A, Yemen — A human rights group has called on the U.S. and Yemen to take all possible precautions to ensure civilians are not harmed during operations against al-Qaida.

Monday’s appeal from Human Rights Watch comes after Yemen’s government acknowledged last week that 42 civilians were killed in an airstrike against the terror group in December.

Yemeni officials say 14 suspected al-Qaida militants were also killed in the airstrikes, which are believed to have been backed by U.S. intelligence.

The New York-based rights group says civilian deaths are a “stark reminder” that using military force against terror groups with little or faulty intelligence can be counterproductive.

Washington has increased military assistance to Yemen because of a growing al-Qaida presence there.