More than 140 killed in air strikes on Yemen funeral

Angry anti-Saudi protest in Sanaa after carnage

More than 140 people were killed and more than 525 wounded Saturday when air strikes hit a funeral ceremony in Yemen, a United Nations official said, with Huthi rebels blaming the attack on the Saudi-led coalition, reports AFP from Sanaa.
The coalition, which has come under increasing international scrutiny over alleged civilian deaths, denied any responsibility for the attack.
“The toll is very high: more than 520 wounded and more than 100 martyrs,” the spokesman of the health ministry in Sanaa, Tamim al-Shami, told rebel Almasirah television.
It was one of the deadliest attacks since the coalition launched a bombing campaign against the Shiite Huthis in March 2015.
Riyadh’s key ally Washington promptly warned it had launched an “immediate review” of support to the Saudi-led coalition, and that its security cooperation with Saudi Arabia was “not a blank check.”
The UN humanitarian coordinator in Yemen, Jamie McGoldrick, said aid workers were “shocked and outraged” by the attacks that hit a community hall in the capital Sanaa where mourners had gathered.
He called for an immediate investigation and said the international community must exert pressure to ensure civilians are protected.
“This violence against civilians in Yemen must stop immediately,” said McGoldrick.
A “horrified and extremely disturbed” UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O’Brien called for a prompt and “impartial” probe into the attacks.
“I also call on all parties to protect civilians and stop using explosive weapons or conducting aerial bombardments in civilian-populated places in Yemen. Surely enough is enough,” he added.
“This horrendous and heinous attack displayed an utter disregard for human life.”
In September 2015, a suspected coalition air strike killed at least 131 civilians at a wedding near the Red Sea city of Mokha. The Saudi-led alliance then also denied any involvement.
And in March this year, Saudi-led air strikes on a market killed at least 119 people, including 106 civilians, of which 24 were children, in the northern rebel-held province of Hajja.
On Saturday, emergency workers pulled out at least 20 charred remains and body parts from the gutted building in southern Sanaa as others scoured the wreckage for survivors.
Some of the wounded had their legs torn off and were being treated on the spot by volunteers, he said.
In a statement to AFP, the Saudi-led coalition said it had no operations at the location and “other causes” for the incident must be considered.
Meanwhile, thousands of Yemenis demonstrated in the capital Sanaa on Sunday to vent anger at Riyadh, head of a coalition accused of carrying out air strikes that killed at least 140 people at a funeral.
The protesters gathered outside UN offices in Sanaa and chanted “Death to Al-Saud,” the Saudi royal family.
The rally, dubbed the “Volcano of Rage”, came a day after bombs hit a funeral ceremony in the capital, in one of the deadliest air strikes since the Saudi-led coalition intervened against Shiite Huthi rebels in Yemen in March 2015.

More than 140 killed in air strikes on Yemen funeral

Angry anti-Saudi protest in Sanaa after carnage

More than 140 people were killed and more than 525 wounded Saturday when air strikes hit a funeral ceremony in Yemen, a United Nations official said, with Huthi rebels blaming the attack on the Saudi-led coalition, reports AFP from Sanaa. The coalition, which has come under increasing international scrutiny over alleged civilian deaths, denied any responsibility for the attack. The toll is very high: more than 520 wounded and more than 100 martyrs, the spokesman of the health ministry in Sanaa, Tamim al-Shami, told rebel Almasirah television. It was one of the deadliest attacks since the coalition launched a bombing campaign against the Shiite Huthis in March 2015. Riyadhs key ally Washington promptly warned it had launched an immediate review of support to the Saudi-led coalition, and that its security cooperation with Saudi Arabia was not a blank check. The UN humanitarian coordinator in Yemen, Jamie McGoldrick, said aid workers were shocked and outraged by the attacks that hit a community hall in the capital Sanaa where mourners had gathered. He called for an immediate investigation and said the international community must exert pressure to ensure civilians are protected. This violence against civilians in Yemen must stop immediately, said McGoldrick. A horrified and extremely disturbed UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen OBrien called for a prompt and impartial probe into the attacks. I also call on all parties to protect civilians and stop using explosive weapons or conducting aerial bombardments in civilian-populated places in Yemen. Surely enough is enough, he added. This horrendous and heinous attack displayed an utter disregard for human life. In September 2015, a suspected coalition air strike killed at least 131 civilians at a wedding near the Red Sea city of Mokha. The Saudi-led alliance then also denied any involvement. And in March this year, Saudi-led air strikes on a market killed at least 119 people, including 106 civilians, of which 24 were children, in the northern rebel-held province of Hajja. On Saturday, emergency workers pulled out at least 20 charred remains and body parts from the gutted building in southern Sanaa as others scoured the wreckage for survivors. Some of the wounded had their legs torn off and were being treated on the spot by volunteers, he said. In a statement to AFP, the Saudi-led coalition said it had no operations at the location and other causes for the incident must be considered. Meanwhile, thousands of Yemenis demonstrated in the capital Sanaa on Sunday to vent anger at Riyadh, head of a coalition accused of carrying out air strikes that killed at least 140 people at a funeral. The protesters gathered outside UN offices in Sanaa and chanted Death to Al-Saud, the Saudi royal family. The rally, dubbed the Volcano of Rage, came a day after bombs hit a funeral ceremony in the capital, in one of the deadliest air strikes since the Saudi-led coalition intervened against Shiite Huthi rebels in Yemen in March 2015.