Tuesday 9 August 2016

Saudi air raids claim 33 civilian lives in Yemen



At least 30 civilians have been killed as Saudi fighter jets pounded several Yemeni provinces in a blatant violation of a UN-brokered ceasefire between the warring sides there.

On Tuesday, Saudi fighter jets bombed several targets in the capital, Sana'a, including a food factory. At least 14 people, including three employees of the factory, have lost their lives in the attack, said Yemen’s al-Masirah television.

Saudi warplanes also bombed an area in the Kushar district of the northwestern Hajjah Province, killing three people and injuring several others.

Elsewhere, the Saudi air raids hit the al-Sama’ military base in the Arhab district of Sana’a Province as well as the military base of Hamza in the province of Ibb.

Two civilians lost their lives in an airstrike on a fuel station in Ibb.

Saudi military aircraft also carried out five raids on the Ta’izz airport. Later in the day, they targeted Wazaiyah District in the province, leaving seven people dead.

Riyadh’s jets further launched over a dozen attacks against the districts of Saqayn and Sahar in the northern province of Sa’ada and the headquarters of the 310th Armored Brigade in Amran Province.

At least six civilians died in similar Saudi raids in the Qatabir region of Sa'ada.

The airstrikes come in violation of the truce agreement that came into effect in April before the start of UN-backed negotiations between Yemen’s Ansarullah movement and the Saudi-backed government of former president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.

The talks to end Yemen’s conflict once again broke down over the weekend, with pro-Hadi militants announcing a new Riyadh-backed military operation near Sana’a.

On Sunday, residents of towns near Sana’a said the Saudi strikes, which came as air cover for the ground offensive by Riyadh’s mercenaries, killed nearly 10 civilians there.

Saudi Arabia has been engaged in a military campaign against Yemen for more than a year in support of Hadi, who has resigned as Yemen’s president but seeks to forcefully grab power.

Nearly 10,000 people have been killed and over 17,000 injured since the onset of the Saudi aggression began. Yemenis say most of the victims are civilians.

On Monday, the Norwegian Refugee Council warned that Yemen is facing an irreversible humanitarian catastrophe some 500 days into the deadly Saudi military campaign.

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