UN won't give sources of child casualties in Yemen to Saudis

UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations says it will not give the Saudi Arabia-led coalition in Yemen the sources of information that led the coalition to be put on a U.N. blacklist for killing and injuring about 1,200 children in the war-torn country last year.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Wednesday it is "paramount" to protect sources used in any U.N. report.

Therefore, he said, the U.N. will refuse a coalition request for sources of information on Yemen in the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's annual report on children and armed conflict.

Saudi Arabia's U.N. Ambassador Abdallah Al-Mouallimi wrote to Ban on behalf of the coalition requesting the sources and other information.

Last Thursday, Ban said he temporarily removed the coalition from the blacklist because its supporters threatened to stop funding many U.N. programs.