Two dead, 14 injured in Houthi attack on Yemen’s central Marib province

Sanaa: Two people died and 14 others were injured after a Houthi attack in Marib on Friday, the country’s Ministry of Public Health and Population said in a statement.

“The Ministry of Public Health and Population condemns in the strongest terms the shelling carried out by the terrorist Houthi militia today, Friday, against residential neighbourhoods and displacement (IDP) camps in the city of Marib, which – according to a preliminary toll — left two civilians dead and 14 others wounded with injuries of varying severity,” read the statement.

In the statement, the ministry said that it instructed all hospitals and health facilities to raise their state of alert and readiness, to mobilise all available resources, and to exert every possible effort to save the lives of the injured and the wounded.

“The deliberate targeting of safe residential neighbourhoods and camps of displaced people, and the resulting casualties among unarmed civilians, constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and of all humanitarian values and covenants. It places the international community and humanitarian and human-rights organisations before their responsibilities, and calls for a serious and urgent stance that protects civilians and puts an end to their continued targeting,” the ministry noted.

Missile and drone strikes hit government military sites in Yemen’s central Marib province Friday, a Yemeni military source and local residents said, a day after Houthi attacks reportedly killed “dozens” of government troops in Marib and neighbouring Hadramout.

A military source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Houthi forces targeted several government military camps, including the headquarters of the Third Military Region in Marib city, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Residents said a series of explosions shook the city during the attacks. Local media also reported missile and drone strikes on military positions in and around Marib.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said Thursday that ballistic missiles and drones had targeted military camps and troop concentrations belonging to Saudi-backed government forces in Marib and Hadramout.

Sarea claimed that “hundreds” of government fighters had been killed or wounded.

IANS