French arms killed dozens of Yemenis, say Houthi rebels

Yemen's Houthis accused France on Wednesday of providing arms and logistics to the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia fighting the rebel group in the war-ravaged country.

"France has killed and injured more than 38 Yemenis by artillery shelling in Al-Raqou market in Manbeh border district in Saada governorate," Mohamed Al-Houthi, a top Houthi rebel tweeted.

He added that the the French legal system was turning a blind eye to these attacks.

No comments have been made by the Arab Coalition or the French government on these accusations, so far.

On Monday, the group accused the Saudi army of bombing Al-Raqou market which left dozens dead and wounded.

Yemen has been beset by violence and chaos since 2014 when Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including the capital Sanaa.

The crisis escalated in 2015 when a Saudi-led military coalition launched a devastating air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi territorial gains.

Saudi Arabia and its allies accuse the Houthis of being a proxy to Iran.

Since then, tens of thousands of Yemenis, including numerous civilians, are believed to have been killed and injured in the conflict, while another 14 million are at risk of starvation, according to the UN.

* Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara