At least 21 killed in Yemen air strikes

  • 8 years ago
At least 21 civilians have been killed in two separate air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition in northern Yemen.

Eyewitnesses say the attacks happened on Saturday.

Fighting is intensifying in the country ahead of the Muslim Eid al-Adha festival.





At least 21 civilians killed in Saudi-led air strikes in Yemen: residents https://t.co/DuBOOEHWc5 pic.twitter.com/7K3nLwZrAn— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) September 11, 2016






What happened?





At least 15 civilians were killed when planes targeted workers drilling for water in the Beit Saadan area of the Arhab district north of Sana’a.

20 people were wounded.

Local media have put the number of dead and wounded at the water drilling site at around 100.

In the second attack on Saturday, residents reported an air strike at the home of Sheikh Maqbool al-Harmali. He is a local tribal chief in the Hairan district of Hajjah province.

Six civilians were are said to have been killed.





What does the coalition say?





A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition could not immediately be reached for a comment.

The coalition has been fighting to push back gains made by the Iran-allied Houthi group since 2014 and restore ousted President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to power.

It says it does not target civilians.





Soldiers die in suicide bombing





Ten soldiers were killed on Sunday in a suicide bombing in a part of southern Yemen where officials say jihadist groups are active.

14 soldiers were injured when the bomber drove an explosives-laden car into an army position in Abyan province.

Groups including Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and ISIL have carried out previous attacks in the region.





Ten soldiers killed in Yemen suicide bombing https://t.co/Oqt5RTgPqt pic.twitter.com/1fy0fldHyS— The Express Tribune (@etribune) September 11, 2016






How many people have died so far in the fighting in Yemen?





The UN estimates at least 6,600 people have been killed in Yemen since the Saudi coalition intervened in March 2015.