Yemen: Airstrike in Marib province kills 12 September 17

Event

On Sunday, September 17, an airstrike carried out by the Saudi-led coalition hit a car in the Harib al-Qaramesh area of Marib province around 70km from the capital Sana’a.  According to local sources, 12 people were killed in the strike, including four children and four women. Hareeb al-Qarameesh is controlled by the Iranian-backed Houthis, who have held control over Sana’a and north western parts of Yemen for the past three years.

Context

This attack is the latest in a series of Saudi-led coalition bombings that have hit schools, hospitals, markets, and private homes across Yemen. On August 23, at least 35 people were killed in an airstrike on a hotel near a Houthi-controlled checkpoint north of Sana'a. Yemen is engaged in a complex and deadly conflict, ongoing since Houthi rebels entered into a civil war with the Yemeni government, supported by a Saudi-led coalition, in 2015. Approximately 10,000 Yemenis have died in the fighting and over 2.5 million are displaced. The devastating war has also sparked a cholera outbreak, which as affected approximately 500,000 people to date.

Advice

The security environment in Yemen remains complex. Due to poor security conditions, many Western governments strongly advise their citizens against all travel to Yemen. Travel to the country should only be considered with proper security protocols in place. Professional security advice and support should be sought prior to travel.