The UK has licensed the sale of £6.2bn worth of arms to the Saudi-led coalition bombing Yemen, new statistics show.

Fighter jets, bombs and missiles made in Britain are believed to have been used in the war, sparking a court battle over the legality of sales.

Research estimates that Saudi-led bombing has killed more than 8,000 civilians, while driving a deadly cholera outbreak and famine that the United Nations has called the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.

Government figures show that export licences worth £6.2bn have been granted to members of the Saudi-led coalition in the four years since the conflict began in March 2015.

The figure includes £5.3bn to Saudi Arabia, £657m to United Arab Emirates, £85m to Egypt, £72m to Bahrain, £40m to Kuwait and £142m to Qatar before it withdrew from the coalition in 2017.

Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Show all 17 1 /17 Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Doctors take some blood of Yemeni Yousef Abdullah Bakhit Ali, 13, suffering from severe acute malnutrition. With ongoing and unending conflict in Yemen, humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate across the country Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen A doctor weighs Yemeni baby Yahya Hamoud Ali Al Huzef, 9 months suffering from malnutrition Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal,12 years old and suffering from severe acute malnutrition. He arrives with his family at a Unicef supported treatment centre in a hospital in Sanaa Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen A doctor measures the arm of Yemeni Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal, 12, who is suffering from malnutrition at a treatment centre in a hospital in Sanaa Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen There are over 400,000 severely malnourished children in need urgent lifesaving assistance in Yemen Unicef/Abdulhaleem Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal is weighed Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen A doctor measures the arm of baby Yahya Hamoud Ali Al Huzef Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are currently working to reach 275,000 malnourished children with critical life-saving supplies and care for over 5 million people with safe and clean water to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Yahya Hamoud Ali Al Huzef with his family in his house in the outskirts of the capital Sanaa Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen The country is on the brink of famine and children's chances of survival are becoming slimmer by the day Unicef/Abdulhaleem Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal has his arm measured Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are currently working to provide nearly 1 million children with vaccines and healthcare Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Doctors take some blood of Yemeni Yousef Abdullah Bakhit Ali, 13 years old suffering from severe acute malnutrition at a treatment centre in a hospital in the capital Sanaa on November 2, 2018. (Release obtained) With ongoing and unending conflict in Yemen, humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate across the country. There are over 400,000 severely malnourished children in need urgent lifesaving assistance in Yemen. The country is on the brink of famine and childrenâ€™s chances of survival are becoming slimmer by the day. UNICEF are working with partners around-the clock to save children suffering from malnutrition and disease. We are currently working to reach: â€¢ 275,000 malnourished children with critical life-saving supplies and care â€¢ Over 5 million people with safe and clean water to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases â€¢ Nearly 1 million children with vaccines and healthcare â€¢ 9 million people with emergency cash assistance to help families buy basic commodities so they can survive Â© UNICEF/UN0253367/ Huwais Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are working with partners around-the clock to save children suffering from malnutrition and disease Unicef/Abdulhaleem Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are currently working to provide 9 million people with emergency cash assistance to help families buy basic commodities so they can survive Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal is suffering from malnutrition Unicef Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen On 31 October 2018 in Yemen, the Al Thawra Hospital in Hodeidah where children are being treated for severe acute malnutrition. UNICEF Regional Director for Middle East and North Africa Geert Cappelaere visited Yemen from 29 October through 1 November 2018. As of 30 October 2018, over 11 million children â€“ 80 per cent of all children in the country â€“ require humanitarian assistance, due to the impact of the ongoing conflict. Worsening years of underdevelopment, attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure and lack of salary payments for most civil servants have pushed basic services for children to the brink. Children face food shortages, disease, displacement and an acute lack of access to basic social services. One out of three children in Yemen is at risk of acute malnutrition. Â© UNICEF/UN0253574/Abdulhaleem Unicef/Abdulhaleem

The Campaign Against the Arms Trade (Caat) group said the real total was “likely to be a great deal higher” because many bombs and missiles used by Saudi forces were approved through a separate licensing system that offers no public breakdown.

Andrew Smith, of Caat, said: “Thousands of people have been killed in the Saudi-led bombardment of Yemen, but that has done nothing to deter the arms dealers.

“The bombing has created the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the complicity and support of Downing Street. These arms sales are immoral and illegal.”

Saudi Arabia leads a coalition conducting airstrikes in support of president Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi in Yemen, and the British government has supported the intervention as a means of “fighting to restore Yemen’s legitimate government”.

In June, Court of Appeal judges found that the UK’s decision to continue selling arms to Saudi Arabia for use in the war was “irrational and therefore unlawful”.

A ruling said it “made no concluded assessments of whether the Saudi-led coalition had committed violations of international humanitarian law in the past, during the Yemen conflict, and made no attempt to do so”.

Judges found that although the UK had “engaged closely” with Riyadh in an attempt to minimise civilian casualties in Yemen, the efforts fell short of the legal obligation to assess the risk of war crimes.

In the wake of the ruling, former international trade secretary Liam Fox said the government would not grant any new export licences for weapons that may be used in Yemen.

UK government says its heart 'goes out' to relatives of Yemen wedding airstrike victims but refuses to halt arms sales to Saudi

But while seeking to appeal, the government is attempting to stay the Court of Appeal ruling and continue sales under pre-existing agreements.

Last month, it was revealed that the government had invited a Saudi delegation to the controversial Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) arms fair.

Protests are expected to greet DSEI when it arrives at London’s Excel Centre in September, with organisers boasting of its “unrivalled scale”.

The United Arab Emirates, which is part of the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, is listed as an “international partner” on DSEI’s official website.

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It says the state-owned Saudi Arabian Military Industries firm will also be among exhibitors.

Mr Smith called the invite “disgraceful”, adding: “This only goes to show that no matter how dire the humanitarian crisis in Yemen has become, the government will continue to prioritise arms sales over the rights and lives of Yemeni people.”

The government said it disagreed with the Court of Appeal’s judgment and has submitted a challenge to the Supreme Court.

A spokesperson said: “The UK operates one of the most robust export control regimes in the world. Licensing decisions are based on the most up-to-date information and analysis available at the time, including advice from those with diplomatic and military expertise and reports from our overseas network and NGOs.

“We welcome any further information NGOs can provide regarding compliance with international humanitarian law.