South Yemen: At least 30 killed in missile and drone attack
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Alaina
- . August 30, 2021
- . Update: August 30, 2021 11:47 pm
South Yemen’s key military base was attacked by a missile and drone killing at least 30 troops in one of deadliest attacks in Yemen’s civil war. This was confirmed by a spokesman of Yemeni military.
The attack on Sunday on al-Anand airbase in Lahj province has wounded at least 65 people, said Mohammed al-Naqib, spokesman for Yemeni southern forces. It is expected that casualty count can increase as rescue operations are still underway at the attack site.
According to Yemeni officials, at least three explosions took place at the southern Yemen airbase. No organization or group has yet taken responsibility of the attack that rocked the airbase controlled by internationally recognized Yemen government. The officials said a ballistic missile landed airbase’s training area where troops were undergoing morning exercises. What followed next was chaos with soldiers carrying wounded colleagues to safer location.
Barracks housing more than 50 troops too had been hit by missiles and then explosives laden drones. Soldier Nasser Saeed, who survived the attack, said, “We were able to shoot down one [drone]. Many were killed and wounded.”
Many injured soldiers have been taken to nearby Ibn Khaldun hospital. Doctors report that majority are suffering from third degree burns and are in critical condition.
Anonymous officials have blamed Houthis for the attack at the base that once was US intelligence operations site against Al-Qaeda. Houthi military spokesperson have neither accepted nor denied the attacks.
Moammar al-Iryani, Yemen information minister, said the attack would damage international efforts to lead establishing a ceasefire in Yemen. “This terrorist attack affirms once again that the continuation of Houthi militia in the approach of military escalation,” he tweeted.
Since 2014, Yemen has been flaming in Civil War – Houthi rebels swept across the majority of northern part of Yemen and took control of the capital Sana’a. This forced the government into exile. Following year Saudi led coalition forces entered into war in support of the government.
