A SAUDI air-force pilot who crashed while undertaking “operational tasks” over Yemen was taught to fly by Britain’s Royal Air Force and arms corporation BAE Systems, a minister has confirmed.

It is the first time a government official has admitted Britain’s involvement in the conflict in Yemen, which has caused the world’s worst humanitarian disaster. 

Air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition have killed civilians and left millions of people on the brink of famine since the war began in 2015. 

Investigative news source Declassified UK previously revealed that at least 25 Saudi pilots have been taught by the RAF since 2008. 

However, ministers have always refused to answer questions in parliament about whether UK-trained Saudi pilots went on to fight in Yemen.

But Defence Minister James Heappey confirmed this week that Lieutenant Colonel Muhanna al-Baiz completed training in 2012.

Andrew Smith from the Campaign Against Arms Trade said: “This confirms what many of us have suspected but the government has failed to acknowledge. 

“There must be full disclosure of who has been trained, what training they did and what role they have gone on to play in this devastating war.”