Sunday, 9 October 2016

Over 90 people killed in blast at funeral in Yemen


At least 90 people were killed and more than 500 wounded in several explosions at a funeral reception in Sanaa, according to Houthi-controlled media sources. Saba news agency, which is aligned with the Iran-allied Houthi group, accused an Arab coalition fighter jet of striking the grand hall of ceremonies on al-Khamseen Street in the Yemeni capital on Saturday afternoon. However, sources in the coalition told Reuters news agency that there was no Arab coalition air role in the strikes. Hakim al-Masmari, the editor of the Yemen Post, told Al Jazeera the venue in Sanaa was hit by four strikes.
"Initially two, then after the plane circled around, a further two. The planes were heard and seen in the skies by multiple people.



"Senior intelligence and military officials were present, and Sanaa's mayor Abdul-Qader Hilal was confirmed killed," al-Masmari said.
Saba quoted acting health minister, Ghazi Ismael, in the Houthi-Saleh government, saying in a news conference that hospitals so far received 90 bodies, and that 566 people were wounded in the attack. Saba cited a security source as saying that the air strikes occurred as the funeral reception was under way for the father of Brigadier Jalal al-Ruweishan, interior minister in the self-proclaimed Houthi government. The source said al-Ruweishan was present at the event. It is not clear whether he survived the attack.
He also said that military officials in attendance were the possible targets. The conflict between Yemen's government and the Houthi rebels escalated in 2015 with the intervention of an Arab coalition in support of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi. The UN says more than 6,700 people have been killed and more than three million displaced by fighting in Yemen since March 2015, when the coalition launched its campaign.

Source: Aljazeera

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