(Newswire.net — December 31, 2020) —
Aden city, the temporary capital of Yemen was attacked on Wednesday in an airport bombing that killed 26 people, and the death toll is expected to rise since there are many who are still in critical condition fighting for their lives. The attack came just moments after ministers from the newly formed government arrived from Saudi Arabia.
Yemen Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalek confirmed that all of the cabinet members are safe, calling the attack “treacherous” and “cowardly”.
Casualties from the attack all come from the airport terminal. Hundreds of people gathered to welcome the arrival of the new government, who were just sworn in last week. Yemen officials have placed blame on Houthi rebels, who are backed by Iran and have been fighting for six years.
Rebels attacked the Aden airport by firing four projectiles, although the Houthis have denied responsibility for the bombing.
“The cowardly terrorist act that targeted Aden airport is part of the war being waged against the Yemeni state and our great people,” said Prime Minister Maeen.
Just hours after the airport attack, there was another explosion near the presidential palace in Aden. The Saudi led coalition also stated they managed to down a drone that was carrying explosives targeting the presidential palace.
In response to the attack Saudi Arabia has launched air strikes against the rebel forces in Yemen, just one day after the airport attack.
War planes of a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia bombed targets in the Houthi-controlled city of Sanaa on Thursday. Misrah television, run by the Houthi, announced that 15 targets in Sanaa have been hit in eight separate raids. Among the bombed targets is the Sanaa airport.
So far there have been no reported casualties in the air raid on Sanaa, though thousands have been killed so far in coalition air strikes over the course of the war.