At least thirteen people were killed and more than fifty others injured in Yemen, Wednesday, December 30, in an attack at Aden airport shortly after the arrival of a plane carrying members of the new unity government, according to Associated Press (AP) and a local source security services with the Reuters agency.
Loud explosions and gunshots were heard at the airport shortly after the plane arrived from Saudi Arabia, witnesses said. Saudi state television El-Ekhbaria broadcast footage of destroyed vehicles, shattered glass and columns of white smoke. According to a Yemeni security service source told Reuters, three mortar shells exploded in the airport lobby.
New unity government against Houthi rebels
The new Yemeni unity government bringing together pro-power ministers and southern separatists was formed on December 18 under the aegis of Saudi Arabia.
These two camps, which competed for power in the south of the country, have remained in principle allies for six years against the Houthi rebels, supported by Iran and who have seized much of the north of the country, including the capital. Sanaa. But Aden, a southern port city, has been plagued by violence for several years because of a rift between the two parties.
The new union cabinet brings together the government of President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi and the separatists from the South. Its members, including Prime Minister Maïn Abdelmalek Saïd, as well as Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mohammad Al-Jaber, have been safely transferred to the presidential palace, witnesses and Saudi media have said. ” We are well “, wrote in a message on Twitter Ahmed ben Mubarak, new Minister of Foreign Affairs. Government spokesman Rajeh Badi said that all members of the government ” are OK “. Civilians, security guards and local officials were killed in the blasts.
2/2 Griffiths: I wish the Cabinet strength in facing the difficult tasks ahead. This unacceptable act of violence i… https://t.co/ji6eZIQ2Dj
UN Special Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths on Twitter condemned a “Unacceptable act of violence” who has “Killed and injured several innocent civilians”. He also pointed out that the attack is “A tragic reminder of the importance of urgently putting Yemen back on the path to peace”.
