A SIX-year-old Yemeni girl seriously injured in a missile attack that killed her family remains unable to walk 10 days on.
Images of Buthaina Muhammad Mansour al-Raimi, who has lost her parents and five siblings in the bombing, being carried from the rubble in capital Sana’a were seen around the world. A photograph of the youngster trying to hold open one of her swollen eyes then went viral on Twitter.
Her head injuries, including skull fractures, have left her unable to walk and her aunt and uncle, who will now care for her, say she does not yet know she is the only survivor of the on August 25 attack.
In a statement released through charity Save the Children, which is funding her hospital treatment and long-term counselling, her uncle Ali al-Raimi has described how he found the family’s bodies.
He said: “When I first saw the house, I fainted and fell on the floor. They gave me some water. I regained consciousness.
“I pulled myself together because I was hoping I could get at least one of them out alive.
“The first body we pulled out was my cousin’s. Then came my brother Mohammed’s wife, then her eldest daughter Alaa.
“I was in pieces.”
He went on: “Buthaina is like a daughter to me and more. She is what’s left of my brother.”
The comments come as the charity reveals how 55 per cent of Scots polled agreed the UK should suspend the approval of arms sales to countries fighting in Yemen.
This includes lucrative trade with its Gulf allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The British government has agreed £3.8 billion of arms licences to Saudi Arabia, which is leading an international coalition against Houthi militia, since the conflict escalated in March 2015. Westminster has repeatedly rejected calls to end such sales, despite war crimes allegations, but just 10 per cent of Scots polled support the UK Government’s stance.
As many as 65 per cent said the sale of items including Paveway IV guided bombs and Typhoon fighter jets is “unacceptable” if there is a chance they will be used in Yemen.
As well as killing and maiming thousands, the conflict and port blockade has fuelled malnutrition and the world’s worst outbreak of cholera.
George Graham, Save the Children’s director of humanitarian and conflict policy, said: “All sides have killed and maimed thousands of children in this brutal war, but the fact remains that only one side, the Saudi-led coalition, is dropping bombs supplied by Britain.
“Britain has much to be proud of – we are one of the biggest donors of aid to Yemen. But our bombs are also being sent to countries which are killing Yemeni children, bombing schools and hospitals and impeding aid access. It is clear the public believes that weaponry built on the British Isles is casting a dark shadow over our standing in the world.”
Revelations on the lack o f support for arms sales come as military buyers head to London for a major arms fair on Tuesday.
In 2015, buyers from Saudi Arabia were among more than 60 foreign military delegations invited to the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) exhibition by the UK Government.
The group Trident Ploughshares are amongst the peace campaigners targeting the biennial event.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here