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Fact check: How many Yemenis were killed in airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition between 2015 and 2017?

Checked on August 20, 2025

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, none of the sources contain a specific total number of Yemenis killed in airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition between 2015 and 2017 [1] [2] [3]. The sources focus on individual incidents rather than comprehensive casualty figures for the requested timeframe.

The analyses reveal several specific incidents:

  • At least 91 people were killed in airstrikes on a detention facility in Saada city [2]
  • At least 82 people were killed in an airstrike on a detention center in Saada [3]
  • The broader conflict resulted in approximately 130,000 deaths, including more than 13,000 civilians [3]

However, these figures represent either individual incidents or total conflict casualties, not the specific metric requested in the original question.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The analyses reveal significant missing context regarding the scale and documentation of civilian casualties:

  • Systematic documentation challenges: The sources indicate that while multiple civilian-targeting incidents occurred, comprehensive casualty counting for the specific 2015-2017 timeframe appears incomplete or unavailable [1] [2] [3]
  • Broader conflict scope: The total death toll of 130,000 people includes deaths from all causes in the Yemen conflict, not exclusively from Saudi-led coalition airstrikes [3]
  • International accountability gaps: The sources reference calls for independent investigations, suggesting that official casualty figures may be disputed or incomplete [2] [3]

Alternative perspectives that would benefit from different casualty narratives include:

  • Saudi Arabia and coalition partners would benefit from lower casualty figures to minimize international criticism
  • Human rights organizations and Yemen's Houthi forces would benefit from higher documented casualties to increase pressure for intervention or sanctions
  • International arms dealers supplying weapons to the coalition would benefit from minimized casualty reporting

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself does not contain misinformation, as it asks for factual data. However, the framing assumes that comprehensive, reliable casualty data exists for this specific timeframe and cause of death.

Potential issues with the question's premise:

  • Data availability assumption: The question presupposes that accurate, disaggregated casualty figures exist for Saudi-led coalition airstrikes specifically between 2015-2017
  • Attribution complexity: Distinguishing deaths caused by Saudi-led airstrikes versus other conflict actors (Houthis, local militias, other coalition members) may be methodologically challenging
  • Reporting bias: Casualty figures in active conflict zones are often incomplete, with rural and remote areas potentially underrepresented in official counts

The analyses suggest that while multiple documented incidents of civilian casualties from coalition airstrikes occurred, comprehensive statistical answers to the original question may not be readily available in public sources [1] [2] [3].

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