2016 Sana'a funeral air raid
| 2016 Sana'a airstrike | |
|---|---|
| Part of the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen and Yemeni Civil War | |
| Location | Sana'a, Yemen |
| Date | 8 October 2016 |
| Target | Houthis |
Attack type | Airstrike |
| Deaths | 143-155[1][2] |
Non-fatal injuries | 525+ |
Suspected perpetrators | Saudi-led coalition |
October 2016 Sana'a air raid In total 155 peoples were killed and at least 525 more wounded when two airstrikes, about seven to eight minutes apart, hit the packed Al Kubra hall in Sana'a, Yemen during a funeral in the afternoon of 8 October 2016, at which point it became the deadliest single bombing of the then 2 year long Yemeni civil war.[3] The funeral was being held for the father of Houthi interior minster Galal al-Rawishan. It is not clear Rowaishan or other senior rebel figures were in the building at the time, although Sana'a mayor Abdel Qader Hilal was reportedly among those killed.[4] The Houthis have accused the coalition led by Saudi Arabia of being behind the airstrike, but they have denied responsibility.[5][6] The Human Rights Watch deputy director for Global Advocacy indicated that this bombing continues the observed pattern of Saudi coalition's bombings in Yemen, saying that "the whole war has been marked by attacks on weddings, hospitals, civilian infrastructure, civilian locations, so it fits a pattern. Better late than never, but the world should have woken up a long time ago to this."[3] It was reported by the Joint Incidents Assessment Team (JIAT), which had been set up by the coalition to investigate this air raid, that the attack was due to the coalition "receiving incorrect information from Yemeni military figures that armed Houthi leaders were in the area."[7]
Reactions
Domestic
Thousands of Yemenis marched in the capital city on 9 October to protest the air raid and show solidarity to the victims.[8]
International
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United Nations - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called the attack an outrageous violation of international humanitarian law and calling for a full inquiry with consequences for those found culpable.[9][10]
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Saudi Arabia - The country expressed its deep regret of the attack in the letter from its United Nations mission to the U.N. Security Council and promised to release the results of an investigation into the strike.[11]
References
- ↑ http://edition.cnn.com/2016/10/08/middleeast/yemen-airstrikes/
- ↑ "140 killed & 525 injured after reported Saudi-led airstrike hits funeral in Yemen". rt.com. Russia Today. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
- 1 2 Nick Miriello (9 October 2016). "48-hour escalation". Retrieved 10 October 2016.
- ↑ "Saudis probe 'heinous' airstrike that kills 140 mourners in Yemen".
- ↑ "Yemen funeral hall attack 'kills 82'". bbc.com. BBC. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
- ↑ Ghobari, Mohammed. "Attack on mourners in Yemen kills 82: acting health minister". reuters.com. Reuters. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
- ↑ "Saudi coalition attacked Yemen funeral based on wrong information: investigation". Reuters.
- ↑ Yemenis protest after funeral hall attack - BBC News
- ↑ 18+ Photos: Over 125 killed, 525 injured by Saudi massacre in Yemen
- ↑ UN strongly condemns attack in Yemen that killed over a hundred people
- ↑ Saudi Arabia to Investigate Yemen Funeral Bombing - WSJ