United Nations, April 14 (RHC)-- The UN human rights chief has called for an independent investigation into the high level of Yemen civilian casualties amid ongoing Saudi airstrikes against the impoverished Arab country.

On Tuesday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Zeid al-Hussein demanded the investigation after Saudi air raids led to a record number of civilian deaths across Yemen. He also warned that the ongoing attacks against hospitals and civilians could amount to war crimes.

Nearly 2,600 people have reportedly been killed in the Saudi aggression so far. A significant number of schools, shops, gas stations, markets, stadiums and mosques have been destroyed in the attacks.

Saudi Arabia’s military aggression against the already impoverished Yemen started on March 26th, without a UN mandate, in a bid to restore power to the former fugitive president, Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh.