Status: 08/29/2021 2:11 p.m.
Dozens of people died in a rocket attack on an air force base in Yemen, according to media reports. Houthi rebels, who have been in the civil war with the local government since 2014, are suspected to be behind the attack.
At least 30 people were killed in a missile attack in Yemen. 40 more were injured, the dpa news agency reported, citing hospital employees in the southern province of Lahidsch. According to eyewitnesses, three rockets hit the Al-Anad air base used by government forces. Most of the victims are soldiers of a government-affiliated brigade, the news site Adan al-Ghad reported, citing military sources.
Suspicions are directed against Houthi rebels
Al-Anad is the largest air base in the civil war country, where the Houthi rebels are fighting against government troops. This is supported by a military alliance led by Saudi Arabia.
At the beginning of 2019, the insurgents attacked the strategically important base north of the port city of Aden with a drone, injuring several high-ranking officers. This time too, suspicions were directed against the Houthi rebels, who are supported by Iran. At first no one confessed to the attack.
Tens of thousands of people have died so far
The devastating civil war in the very impoverished country has been raging since 2015. The Houthis overran the country in 2014 and today control North Yemen and the capital Sanaa. A year later, the coalition led by Saudi Arabia joined the government in the fighting. Tens of thousands of people have died so far. Peace negotiations between the warring parties brokered by the UN and the USA had recently stalled.
According to the United Nations, the worst humanitarian crisis in the world is taking place in Yemen. Around 70 percent of the population depend on humanitarian aid or protection. Food is scarce for 16 million people, more than half of them are children.