2020 Aden airport attack

Last updated

2020 Aden airport attack
Part of the Yemeni Civil War (2014–present)
2020 Aden airport attack
Location Aden, Aden Governorate, Yemen
Coordinates 12°49′32″N45°02′11″E / 12.82556°N 45.03639°E / 12.82556; 45.03639
Date30 December 2020
Around 13:24 AST (10:24 UTC) [1] [lower-alpha 2]
Target Aden International Airport
Attack type
 Bombings
Mass shooting
Mortar attack (suspected)
Drone strike (suspected)
Deaths28 [4] [lower-alpha 3]
Injured107 [4]
PerpetratorHouthis emblem.svg Houthis (per UN investigation) [5] [lower-alpha 4]

On 30 December 2020, a plane carrying members of the recently formed Yemeni government landed at Aden International Airport in the southwest of Yemen. As passengers disembarked, there were explosions and gunfire, leaving 28 people dead and 107 others injured. [8] [9] [4] [lower-alpha 3] None of the passengers were hurt in the attack and the Yemeni cabinet members were quickly transported to Mashiq Palace for safety. [10]

Contents

The airport attack allegedly led the Houthis, suspected of carrying out the attack, to be designated as a United States Foreign Terrorist Organization, a move argued by Human Rights activists to worsen famine in Yemen. [11] [12] [13] The designation went into effect the day before U.S. President Joe Biden was sworn in, whose administration revoked the designation about four weeks later. [14] [15] [16]

Background

In order to deal with the infighting between the Yemeni government forces and those of the secessionist Southern Transitional Council, a new cabinet was formed with the backing of neighbouring Saudi Arabia. [17] [18] The formation of the new unity government, which includes equal numbers of representatives from each region of Yemen's northern and southern areas, was the result of over a year's worth of intense negotiations mediated by the Saudis, and was meant to end the infighting so that the two sides could fight together against the Houthi rebels in the ongoing civil war. [17] [19] [20]

Although the Yemeni government had been based in the temporary capital city of Aden after the Houthi rebels took control of the capital city Sanaa, its recent operations had usually been conducted while in exile in Saudi Arabia, since the Southern Transitional Council had seized Aden over a year earlier and forced the government out. [18] [21] [19]

After the new 24-member cabinet was announced earlier in December, the new unity government, led by Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed, was sworn in by President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi on 26 December 2020 in Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh. [22] [23]

The newly formed and internationally recognized government had planned to televise its return from Saudi Arabia to Yemen, to signal to its citizens that their worries were going to be addressed. [24] [18] The event was also meant to mark the successful result of the lengthy negotiations. [19]

Attacks

External videos
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg Attack as seen from near the plane [3]

On 30 December 2020, a Yemenia plane flew from Saudi Arabia to the port city of Aden in southwestern Yemen, carrying members of the newly formed Yemeni government, including the prime minister, as well as the Saudi ambassador to Yemen. [9] [25] [lower-alpha 5] The airport hall was crowded with local officials as well as civilians hoping to greet the members of the new cabinet. [20] Hundreds of people had gathered on the airport apron outside. [19]

Around 13:24, as the passengers disembarked, massive explosions were heard. [3] [9] [lower-alpha 6] A local security source had reported that "three mortar shells had landed on the airport's hall", while Yemeni Communication Minister Naguib al-Awg  [ ar ], who was among those flown in, has suggested they were drone strikes, and a spokesperson for the chairman of the Southern Transitional Council believed they were missiles. [8] [10] [25] The Telegraph has reported that analysis of the explosion footage showed one explosion occurring on the north side of the airport terminal, and the second occurring around 30 seconds later about 20 metres (70 ft) away. [26] One of the wounded recalled that a "missile hit the terminal's gate" while he was metres away. [27]

The explosions sent the crowd of hundreds scrambling for cover, with the disembarking ministers either running back up into the plane or down the stairs to find shelter. [19] [28] Gunfire then erupted from armoured vehicles. [8] Bodies lying on the airport apron and elsewhere at the airport were seen after the attack as thick plumes of black and white smoke emanated from the airport terminal. [10] [8] [9]

Most of the casualties were reportedly civilians—including airport staff—with Voice of America reporting that most of the casualties had reportedly occurred within the terminal. [20] [26] [29] [lower-alpha 7] However, all passengers that were aboard the plane remained unharmed. [10] The cabinet members, as well as the Saudi ambassador, were quickly taken to Mashiq Palace, the presidential palace in Aden, for safety. [17] [10]

Another blast was heard about four hours later around Mashiq Palace. [6] [10] [24] [26] No casualties as a result of the later explosion were reported. [24] Saudi-owned news channel Al Arabiya reported that an "explosive-laden drone" had been intercepted and destroyed nearby. [31]

Casualties

At least 28 people were killed and 107 others were injured, with at least 30 wounded seriously enough to require major surgery. [4] [10] [25] [lower-alpha 3] The casualties included aid workers and journalists, as well as government officials and members of the military. [18] [8] [19] [33]

Three members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) were killed, including two Yemenis and one Rwandan; three others were wounded, with one seriously so. [19] [34] Also among the dead was a reporter of Belqees TV, a Yemeni television news channel, who was reporting live from the airport when his connection went silent. [35] [10] Yemeni Minister of Information Moammer al-Iryani  [ ar ] also reported that at least ten other journalists had also been wounded. [18] [21] [10]

Yasmin al-Awadhi, deputy minister of housing and urban development at the Ministry of Public Works and Highways and one of the few female government officials, was killed in the attack. [36] [12] [26] [7] [lower-alpha 8] It was also reported that a deputy minister of youth and sport as well as a deputy transport minister were amongst those injured. [18] In addition, September Net, a website of the armed forces of Yemen, reported that four colonels had died in the attack. [33] [4] [32]

Aftermath

Yemen's Foreign Minister Ahmad Awad bin Mubarak initially blamed the Houthis for the attack, and stated that four ballistic missiles had been fired at the airport, but made the statement without providing evidence. [10] [7] The Houthis denied responsibility, with its deputy information secretary placing the blame on the continued infighting between the government and the Southern Transitional Council, and naming the latter as the party most likely to have carried out the attack. [37]

The Southern Transitional Council also blamed the Houthis, as well as Qatar and Turkey. [38] [7] Western[ clarification needed ] officials stated that it was likely the work of Houthi rebels, but had not ruled out al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) or dissatisfied southern separatist factions. [7] [lower-alpha 9]

Communication Minister Naguib al-Awg insisted that the plane had been the original target of the attacks, as the plane had landed later than previously planned. [6] [lower-alpha 10] Deputy Information Minister Oussama Sharem stated that civilians heading to Cairo that were waiting inside had been targeted. [29]

A United Nations flight that was originally heading to Aden that day ended up altering its course due to the attack. [41]

Early the next day, a Saudi-led coalition conducted air strikes on Sanaa, the Houthi-held capital, apparently in retaliation for the previous day's attacks, which it had blamed on the Houthis. [42] [27] [43] Warplanes carried out attacks over several hours, striking the airport as well as other areas of the city. [27] Al Jazeera confirmed that there had been more than eight raids, while Houthi-owned television channel Almasirah reported that fifteen different locations had been hit in the city and the surrounding governorate, including sites in Sanhan and Bani Hashish Districts. [42] [43] Casualties had not been reported. [42] [27]

By morning, military checkpoints had been set up throughout Aden, and streets had been manned by security forces. [38] The airport reopened on 3 January 2021 amidst continued reconstruction, with Transport Minister Abdel Salam Hamid having announced the previous day that flights would return to normal. [44] [45] [46]

About a week after the attack on the airport, on 6 January 2021, six civilians were killed and seven wounded during a Houthi shelling in the southwestern governorate of Taiz. [47] [48] The Houthi offensive continued for at least five days, with a spokesperson for the Yemeni army reporting that, in total, 12 people had been killed, 30 injured, and 50 taken as civilian hostages. [49]

On 7 January 2021, the UN secretary-general's special envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, visited the airport to review the damage sustained and met with members of the new cabinet. [50] That evening, a loud explosion was heard outside a central prison in Aden. [51] Several cars and a wall were damaged, but no casualties were reported. [52] [51]

Terrorist designation

On 10 January 2021, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that he intended to designate the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), effective 19 January 2021, referring to the airport attack as an example of the Houthis' terrorist capabilities. [53] [54] [55] Foreign Policy 's sources reported that the attack led the administration "on an irreversible track toward the designation", despite the administration understanding that the designation would likely significantly exacerbate the humanitarian disaster in Yemen. [11]

The Yemeni government welcomed the designation and urged the international community to take similar action, while various UN officials and a number of countries, including China, France, and Russia, voiced their concern over the humanitarian impact of the designation during a meeting of the UN Security Council on 14 January 2021. [56] [57] [58] [59] [12]

UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock explained that because about 90 percent of the food in Yemen is imported, and formally designating the Houthis as an FTO would result in parties previously contributing to the food supply chain possibly aborting operations for fear of being put out of business or in jail due to U.S. regulations associated with the designation, Pompeo's decision would likely result in "a large-scale famine on a scale that we have not seen for nearly 40 years". [12]

ICRC director of operations Dominik Stillhart also voiced concerns about the designation's "chilling effect", while the executive director of the UN's World Food Programme, David Beasley, stated that the designation "is literally going to be a death sentence to hundreds of thousands, if not millions of innocent people". [60] [13]

In addition, a member of the transition team of then–U.S. president-elect Joe Biden, who took office the day after the terrorist designation became effective, stated that the decision to adopt the designation "feel[s] like sabotage", and accused Pompeo of "literally risking hundreds of thousands of lives" in order to "feed his own domestic political ambitions". [61]

On 19 January, the day the designation went into effect, Biden's nominee for secretary of state Antony Blinken stated, during his Senate confirmation hearing, that the designation did "nothing particularly practical in advancing the efforts against the Houthis", and "propose[d] to review [the designation] immediately to make sure that what we are doing is not impeding the provision of human assistance". [62] [63]

On 22 January, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department confirmed that they had begun reviewing the designation and were working hard to quickly reach a conclusion. [64] Twenty-two aid groups, including International Rescue Committee, Mercy Corps, Norwegian Refugee Council, Oxfam, and Save the Children, urged the Biden administration to revoke the designation to avoid "put[ting] millions of lives at risk" and "hurt[ing] UN-led efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict". [65] [66] [67]

On 25 January, the U.S. Treasury Department announced a temporary exemption from sanctions for some transactions with the Houthis, with the exemption scheduled to expire on 26 February. [68] However, the UN has noted that parties contributing to the food supply chain still intend to withdraw from Yemen due to the terrorist designation, notwithstanding the Treasury's month-long exemption. [69]

Tens of thousands of Yemenis marched in Sanaa on 25 January to protest the terrorist designation. [70] [lower-alpha 11]

It has been conjectured that a number of explosions occurring days after the terrorist designation became effective were due to Houthi missiles targeting Riyadh, and that the Houthis were no longer taking responsibility for their attacks partially due to the terrorist designation. [72] [73]

On 5 February, a U.S. State Department official confirmed that the Biden administration was planning to revoke the terrorist designation, after having informed members of Congress of the decision earlier that day. [74] [75] [14] The news came about a day after President Biden announced that he was ending U.S. support of Saudi Arabia's participation in the Yemeni Civil War. [76] [75] [77] Secretary of State Blinken later formally announced on 12 February that he was revoking the designation, effective 16 February. [15] [78] [16]

Investigations

Local investigation

President Hadi has directed Interior Minister Ibrahim Haydan to head a committee to investigate the attack, with support from the military. [79] [80] [19] Prime Minister Saeed later announced that "[p]reliminary results of the investigation ... show that Houthi militants were behind the attack" which was carried out by guided missiles, and that Iranian experts had also been involved. [80] [79] [81] [82] Saeed also stated that there had been three precision-guided missiles, and that they had targeted the plane, the arrivals hall, and the airport lounge. [82] [83] Saeed added that experts would be examining the missile remains that had been collected by investigators to determine their origins. [82]

On 14 January 2021, Al Arabiya reported that, earlier that day, the interior ministry stated that the missiles used were ballistic, that they had been launched from Houthi-controlled territory over100 km (60 mi) away, and that "Iranian and Lebanese experts were behind the missile launching systems of the rockets" used in the attack. [84] [85] [86] Interior Minister Haydan noted that the "medium-range surface-to-ground ballistic missiles" used "a navigation system that relied on a precise GPS-guided technology". [87] [86] He added that "only the Houthi militia has this system in Yemen". [87] Haydan also noted that the missiles used had serial numbers similar to missiles used in other Houthi attacks that relied on the same technology. [86] He also added that the missiles had a range between 70 km (43 mi) and 135 km (84 mi). [86]

Minister Haydan's report stated that the first missile hit the airport's lounge at 13:24:34, the second missile hit the aircraft parking area at 13:25:09, and the third missile hit the stone wall of the garden outside the lounge at 13:25:33. [40] The minister also noted that the place where the plane was scheduled to park had been changed at the last moment due to a crowd that had gathered on the apron to receive the plane's passengers. [40] He added that the second missile landed where the plane had been initially scheduled to park, and stated that this confirmed that the plane had been deliberately targeted. [40]

Open-source investigation

External image
Searchtool.svg Locations hit, according to Bellingcat Numbers indicate order of strikes. Image of plane added to depict position during attack. [3]

On 9 February 2021, investigative news site Bellingcat and human rights project Yemeni Archive published the findings of a joint investigation based on publicly available open-source intelligence. [3] [1] The two sites concluded that three missiles had struck the airport, with two of them having been launched from the vicinity of a police training center in Dhamar Governorate about 200 km (120 mi) roughly to the north of Aden International Airport, and one being launched from Taiz International Airport or its environs roughly 140 km (90 mi) from the airport in Aden. [3] [1] The investigators noted that these missile launch sites were in Houthi-controlled territory, suggesting that the Houthis were responsible for the attack. [3] [1] Both parties also noted that there actually appeared to be two missiles that launched from the area around the Taiz airport, but one of them seemed to have failed and landed near a factory close to the Taiz airport. [3] [1] [lower-alpha 12] In addition, by analyzing shadows in missile launch videos found online, they determined that the launches occurred not long after 13:00. [3] [1] [lower-alpha 13]

The investigators reported that the first missile that struck the Aden airport exploded a few metres up the northern wall of the terminal, underneath an overhanging roof; [lower-alpha 14] the second missile hit the airplane parking bay closest to the terminal, about 50 m (160 ft) away from where the plane carrying the ministers was parked; and the third missile impacted a low wall immediately north of the terminal. [3] [1] By analyzing the crater it made and the smoke rising from it after it exploded, the investigators determined that the missile that landed in the parking area came from the northwest, roughly in the direction of Taiz. [3] [1] They also determined that the other two missiles that hit the airport came roughly from the north, but were unable to be much more precise because those two missiles had struck walls. [3] [1] However, due to the missiles' angles of arrival and the timing of the publicly available missile launch videos, the investigators reasoned that these two missiles were the ones seen launched from Dhamar, and the missile that landed in the parking area was the one successfully launched from Taiz. [3] [1]

Yemeni Archive noted that Minister Haydan claimed that the second missile hit where the plane was originally scheduled to park before it was changed at the last moment, and Bellingcat stated that a journalist at Yemeni news site Bawabatii who was present at the attack had also reported the same. [1] [3] [88] Bellingcat also pointed out that a red carpet had been laid out for that bay, which was the one closest to the terminal, and added that about two months earlier, a red carpet had also been laid out for a flight in which passengers had deplaned via a stairway that had lined up with the red carpet. [3] [88] [89]

The investigators were unable to make significant conclusions about the type of missiles used by examining the images of the missile fragments that have been posted publicly. [3] [1] However, images claimed to be those of the missile that fell near the factory in Taiz appear to show that the missile had control-canards, which suggests that guided missiles had been used. [3] [1] [lower-alpha 15] Bellingcat also speculated that the Badr-1P, a Houthi guided missile claimed to have a range of 150 km (93 mi), could have been used in the launch from Taiz, but since Dhamar is roughly 200 km (120 mi) from the airport in Aden, those missiles may not have been Badr-1P missiles unless they had been somehow modified. [3] [90]

International investigation

Varied groups and parties, including the governor of Aden, have requested the United Nations to supervise an international investigation. [91] [46]

On 3 February 2021, Xinhua reported that a local government source stated, on the condition of anonymity, that a UN plane had arrived at the airport that day carrying a team of "senior international experts" to investigate the airport attack. [92] The anonymous source also stated that the team of experts had examined the bombing site and interviewed airport officials before heading to Mashiq Palace to meet with government officials. [92]

An investigation by the UN team of experts found Yemen's Houthis were responsible for the attack. [5]

Reactions

UN Secretary-General António Guterres "condemn[ed] the deplorable attack" on the airport, and offered condolences to the victims' families as well as the Yemeni government and its people, as reported by his special envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths. [93] [94] Griffiths also considered the attack "a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law" that "potentially amounts to a war crime". [95] [96]

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit also condemned the attack on the airport, calling it a "cowardly terrorist act". [97] [98] Aboul Gheit also expressed sorrow for the victims and hope that the wounded remained safe. [98]

The European Union strongly condemned the attack and reaffirmed its belief that "there can only be a political solution to the conflict in Yemen", offering condolences to the victims' families and support for those seeking a peaceful resolution. [99] [100]

A spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the attack in Aden, which he blamed on the Saudi-led coalition, and called for dialogue instead of violence. [37]

A number of other nations, including Egypt, India, Jordan, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States, condemned the airport attack. [10] [6] [25] [101]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Yemeni Archive first notes the time of the attack as "Between 13:24 – 13:25 Yemen Local Time", but then states that the explosions happened at "13:27 local time in Yemen" later in its report, possibly conflating the time of the attack with the time of the first public report of the event that Bellingcat had found. [1] [3]
  2. ↑ Airport CCTV footage appears to show an explosion at 13:24, which Bellingcat notes is corroborated by public reports of the explosion beginning by 13:27 at the latest. [2] [3] [lower-alpha 1]
  3. 1 2 3 Belqees TV reported that a total of 29 people had been killed. [32]
  4. ↑ The Houthi rebels denied responsibility. [6] Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula was also suspected. [7]
  5. ↑ President Hadi, who has been living in Riyadh after the Houthi rebels took control of Sanaa, was not aboard. [17] [19]
  6. ↑ There are conflicting reports regarding how many explosions there were, with reports ranging from two to four. [10] [18]
  7. ↑ The Times reported that all casualties had occurred within the terminal. [30]
  8. ↑ Al-Awadhi has also been reported as an "undersecretary at the labour ministry". [18] The New York Times stated that it was the deputy transport minister who was reported dead, but is unclear if it was also referring to al-Awadhi. [21]
  9. ↑ Three weeks before, AQAP militants had been suspected of killing five south Yemen separatists in what was believed to be their most significant attack in the region in months. [39]
  10. ↑ A local investigation headed by Interior Minister Haydan reported that a missile had struck the bay where the plane was originally scheduled to park, but the plane had been unable to park there due to the crowd that had gathered on the apron. [40] An open-source investigation by Bellingcat and Yemeni Archive found evidence corroborating this claim. [3] [1]
  11. ↑ Hundreds also protested outside the closed U.S. embassy in Sanaa on 18 January, the day before the designation went into effect. [71]
  12. ↑ Bellingcat noted that the factory was about a few kilometres from the Taiz airport, while Yemeni Archive noted that the missile appeared to have landed about 500 m (1,600 ft) from the launch site. [3] [1]
  13. ↑ Screenshots in the reports of both parties show that most estimates were within a few minutes of when the missiles were reported to have struck the airport, though Bellingcat acknowledged that using shadows to determine the time a video was recorded was not a reliably accurate method. [3] [1]
  14. ↑ Bellingcat noted that this would suggest that the weapon used was not a mortar, which would normally have a trajectory with a high arc. [3]
  15. ↑ Because these photos were largely focused on the missile remnants, the lack of landmarks meant that the veracity of these photos could not be easily confirmed via geolocation. [3] [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Houthi movement</span> Islamist political and military organization in Yemen

The Houthi movement, officially known as Ansar Allah, is a Shia Islamist political and military organization that emerged from Yemen in the 1990s. It is predominantly made up of Zaidi Shias, with their namesake leadership being drawn largely from the Houthi tribe.

Abdul-Malik Badruldeen al-Houthi, also known as Abu Jibril, is a Yemeni politician and religious leader who serves as the leader of the Houthi movement, a revolutionary movement principally made up of Zaidi Muslims. His brothers Yahia and Abdul-Karim are also leaders of the group, as were his late brothers Hussein, Ibrahim, and Abdulkhaliq. Abdul-Malik al-Houthi is the leading figure in the Yemeni Civil War which started with the Houthi takeover in Yemen in the Saada Governorate in northern Yemen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 in Yemen</span> List of events

The following lists events that happened in 2015 in Yemen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yemeni crisis</span> Ongoing crisis occurring in the country of Yemen

The Yemeni crisis began with the 2011–2012 revolution against President Abdullah Saleh, who had led Yemen for 33 years. After Saleh left office in early 2012 as part of a mediated agreement between the Yemeni government and opposition groups, the government led by Saleh's former vice president, Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, struggled to unite the fractious political landscape of the country and fend off threats both from Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and from Houthi militants that had been waging a protracted insurgency in the north for years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aftermath of the Houthi takeover in Yemen</span>

The aftermath of the Houthi takeover in Yemen refers to developments following the Houthis' takeover of the Yemeni capital of Sana'a and dissolution of the government, which eventually led to a civil war and the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen.

The Battle of Aden International Airport broke out in the early morning hours of 19 March 2015, when Yemen Army units loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh attacked the airport in Aden, Yemen. The airport was defended by soldiers and guards supporting Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, Yemen's internationally recognised president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Aden (2015)</span> Battle of the Yemeni Civil War

The Battle of Aden was a nearly four-month battle in 2015 for the control of Aden, Yemen, between Houthis rebels and Yemen Army forces loyal to Ali Abdullah Saleh on one side, and Yemen Army units loyal to Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and Southern Movement militias on the other side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yemeni civil war (2014–present)</span> Ongoing civil war in the state of Yemen

The Yemeni civil war is an ongoing multilateral civil war that began in late 2014 mainly between the Rashad al-Alimi-led Presidential Leadership Council and the Mahdi al-Mashat-led Supreme Political Council, along with their supporters and allies. Both claim to constitute the official government of Yemen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saudi-led intervention in the Yemeni civil war</span> Saudi war against Houthis in Yemen launched in 2015

On 26 March 2015, Saudi Arabia, leading a coalition of nine countries from West Asia and North Africa, launched an intervention in Yemen at the request of Yemeni president Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, who had been ousted from the capital, Sanaa, in September 2014 by Houthi insurgents during the Yemeni Civil War. Efforts by the United Nations to facilitate a power sharing arrangement under a new transitional government collapsed, leading to escalating conflict between government forces, Houthi rebels, and other armed groups, which culminated in Hadi fleeing to Saudi Arabia shortly before it began military operations in the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lahij insurgency</span> Insurgency of the Yemeni Civil War

The Lahij insurgency was a guerrilla war in 2015 waged by tribesmen loyal to Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi against the Houthis and Yemen Army units loyal to Ali Abdullah Saleh, who controlled most of the Lahij Governorate of Yemen. In late July, pro-Hadi forces had launched an offensive to recapture Al Anad Air Base and the rest of Lahij Governorate. On 4 August, pro-Hadi forces had retaken full control of the Lahij Governorate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siege of Taiz</span> Conflicts in and around Taiz, Yemen, in the civil war from 2015–present

The siege of Taiz is an ongoing, protracted military confrontation between opposing Yemeni forces in the city of Taiz for control of the city and surrounding area. The battle began one month after the start of the Yemeni Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Houthi–Saudi Arabian conflict</span> Armed conflict between the Houthi movement in Yemen and Saudi Arabia

The Houthi–Saudi Arabian conflict is an ongoing armed conflict between the Royal Saudi Armed Forces and Iran-backed Yemeni Houthi forces that has been taking place in the Arabian Peninsula, including the southern Saudi regions of Asir, Jizan, and Najran, and northern Yemeni governorates of Saada, Al Jawf, and Hajjah, since the onset of the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen in 2015.

The following is a timeline of the Yemeni civil war, which began in September 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 in Yemen</span> List of events

Events of 2020 in Yemen.

The first confirmed case relating to the COVID-19 pandemic in Yemen was announced on 10 April 2020 with an occurrence in Hadhramaut. Organizations called the news a "devastating blow" and a "nightmare scenario" given the country's already dire humanitarian situation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Marib</span> Battle to capture last stronghold in North Yemen

The Battle of Marib is an ongoing battle that began in February 2021 following the advance of the Houthis towards the city of Marib, the capital of Marib Governorate in Yemen controlled by the Cabinet of Yemen.

The 2022 Abu Dhabi attack was an attack against three oil tanker trucks and an under construction airport extension infrastructure in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates conducted by the Houthi movement using drones and missiles. Although several missiles and drones were intercepted, 3 civilians were killed and 6 were injured by a drone attack.

During the presidency of Barack Obama, the United States began providing Saudi Arabia with critical support to "sustain" the Saudi Arabian–led intervention in the Yemeni Civil War, later expanded during the presidency of Donald Trump. This support included logistical and intelligence aid. Trump vetoed a bipartisan bill in 2019 aimed at stopping U.S. support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. In 2021, Joe Biden vowed to halt U.S. support for the war, though U.S. arms sales to the coalition have continued.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of the Yemeni crisis, revolution, and civil war (2011–present)</span> Topical index of Wikipedia articles related to the Yemeni civil war (2014–present)

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the Wikipedia articles available about the Yemeni crisis, revolution, and Yemeni civil war (2014–present).

Events in the year 2024 in Yemen.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 "Attack on Aden International Airport". Yemeni Archive. 9 February 2021. Archived from the original on 11 February 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  2. ↑ @Yemen_PM (14 January 2021). "Video footage: Aden Intl. Airport CCTV footage displayed today in press conferences by Min. of Interior Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Haydan. Footage shows route and moments the first and second missiles hit Aden airport in the terrorist attack that left 137 dead and wounded on 30 Dec" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Waters, Nick (9 February 2021). "Rockets over Yemen: Inside the Houthis' Botched Attack on Aden Airport". Bellingcat . Archived from the original on 10 February 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 El Khalfi, Ammar; Karabacak, Safiye (9 January 2021). "Yemen'in Aden Havalimanı'ndaki patlamalarda ölü sayısı 28'e yükseldi" (in Turkish). Anadolu Agency . Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  5. 1 2 Landay, Jonathan; Ghantous, Ghaida; Mourad, Mahmoud (29 March 2021). "Exclusive: U.N. team finds Houthis launched Aden airport attack that killed 22 - diplomats". Reuters . Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Yemen's PM condemns 'treacherous, cowardly' Aden airport attack". Al Jazeera English. 30 December 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Malsin, Jared; al-Batati, Saleh (30 December 2020). "Yemen Airport Attack Kills 22 as New Saudi-Backed Government Arrives". The Wall Street Journal . Archived from the original on 22 January 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Mukhashaf, Mohammed (30 December 2020). "Twenty-two killed in attack on Aden airport after new Yemen cabinet lands". Reuters. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  9. 1 2 3 4 McKernan, Bethan (30 December 2020). "Aden airport blasts kill 26 in attack 'directed at Yemen government'". The Guardian . Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Al-Haj, Ahmed; Magdy, Samy (30 December 2020). "Yemeni officials: Blast at Aden airport kills 25, wounds 110". Associated Press . Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  11. 1 2 Detsch, Jack; Gramer, Robbie (11 January 2021). "'Stop F—ing Lying': Congress, Trump Officials in Heated Exchange Over Terrorism Designations". Foreign Policy . Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  12. 1 2 3 4 "United States' Designation of Houthi Militia as Foreign Terrorist Organization Risks Expediting Large-Scale Famine in Yemen, Speakers Warn Security Council" (Press release). United Nations. 14 January 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  13. 1 2 Besheer, Margaret (14 January 2021). "WFP Chief: US Terrorist Designation of Yemen's Houthis 'Catastrophic'". Voice of America. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  14. 1 2 "Yemen: US set to revoke Houthi 'terrorist' label". Deutsche Welle. 6 February 2021. Archived from the original on 6 February 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  15. 1 2 Blinken, Antony J. (12 February 2021). "Revocation of the Terrorist Designations of Ansarallah" (Press release). United States Department of State. Archived from the original on 15 February 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  16. 1 2 "Foreign Terrorist Organizations". United States Department of State. Archived from the original on 17 February 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  17. 1 2 3 4 "Blasts hit Yemen's Aden airport as new unity government arrives". Al Jazeera English. 30 December 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Yemen war: Deadly attack at Aden airport as new government arrives". BBC News . 31 December 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Deadly Explosion Rocks Yemeni Airport Just As New Government Members Land". NPR. 30 December 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  20. 1 2 3 Al-Batati, Saeed (30 December 2020). "27 dead, dozens wounded in deadly attack on Aden airport". Arab News . Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  21. 1 2 3 Al-Batati, Saeed; Yee, Vivian (30 December 2020). "Yemen Airport Is Attacked as New Government Arrives". The New York Times . Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  22. ↑ "New Yemen gov't sworn in after Saudi-brokered power-sharing deal". Al Jazeera English. 26 December 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  23. ↑ Al-Batati, Saeed (26 December 2020). "Yemen's new government sworn in, ending months of wrangling". Arab News. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  24. 1 2 3 "Yemen: Deadly blast as new government arrives at Aden airport". Deutsche Welle. 30 December 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  25. 1 2 3 4 Al-Mujahed, Ali; Raghavan, Sudarsan (30 December 2020). "Explosions rock Aden airport, killing at least 22, as new Yemen government arrives". The Washington Post . Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  26. 1 2 3 4 Cheeseman, Abbie (30 December 2020). "Explosions greet new 'unity' government at key Yemen airport". The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  27. 1 2 3 4 Mukhasaf, Mohammed (31 December 2020). "Saudi-led coalition strikes at Yemen capital after attacks on Aden blamed on Houthis". Reuters. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  28. ↑ "Yemeni officials say blast at Aden airport kills 25, wounds 110". CBC News . Associated Press. 30 December 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  29. 1 2 Yeranian, Edward (30 December 2020). "Saudi-backed Yemeni Government Accuses Houthis of Deadly Attack on Aden Airport". Voice of America . Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  30. ↑ Spencer, Richard (30 December 2020). "Attack on Yemen airport kills 25". The Times . Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  31. ↑ Taha, Rawad (30 December 2020). "Yemeni military intercepts explosive-laden drone near Aden's presidential palace". Al Arabiya English . Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  32. 1 2 "وفاة ضابط في الأمن السياسي متأثرا بجراحه بانفجار مطار عدن" (in Arabic). Belqees TV. 10 January 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  33. 1 2 "الأمن السياسي ينعي استشهاد العقيد محمد عبدالولي مقبل متأثراً بإصابته في الهجوم الإرهابي الذي استهدف مطار عدن". September Net (in Arabic). 9 January 2021. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  34. ↑ "Yemen: 3 ICRC staff members killed in airport blast" (Press release). International Committee of the Red Cross. 30 December 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  35. ↑ "Explosions and gunfire rock airport in Yemen". 9news.com.au . 31 December 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  36. ↑ "#HappiningNow Eng. Yasmin Al-Awadhi the..." International Youth Council-Yemen. 20 December 2020. Archived from the original on 22 January 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2021– via Facebook.
  37. 1 2 O'Connor, Tom (31 December 2020). "Yemen Claims 'Iranian Experts' Present at Airport Attack, Iran Blames Saudis". Newsweek . Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  38. 1 2 "Aden's terrified residents fear more attacks after return of Yemeni government". Middle East Eye . 31 December 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  39. ↑ "Suspected al-Qaeda gunmen kill five south Yemen separatists". Middle East Eye. 7 December 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  40. 1 2 3 4 "وزير الداخلية يؤكد وقوف الحوثيين وخبراء إيرانيين ولبنانيين وراء الهجوم الإرهابي على مطار عدن الدولي". imoyemen.com (in Arabic). Yemeni Ministry of Interior. 14 January 2021. Archived from the original on 19 February 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  41. ↑ Charpentreau, Clement (30 December 2020). "Explosions at Yemen airport as governmental plane lands". AeroTime Hub. Archived from the original on 1 January 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  42. 1 2 3 Shams, Shamil (31 December 2020). "Yemen: Saudi-led coalition strikes capital after Aden attacks". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  43. 1 2 "Saudi Arabia launches air raids in Sanaa after deadly Aden blasts". Al Jazeera English. 31 December 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  44. ↑ Alshammari, Hebshi (2 January 2021). "Aden airport to reopen after attack". Arab News. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  45. ↑ "Aden airport to resume flights as of Sunday". Saba News Agency. 2 January 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  46. 1 2 Al-Batati, Saeed (3 January 2021). "Aden airport reopens as governor demands probe into attack". Arab News. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  47. ↑ Al Sherbini, Ramadan (7 January 2021). "Yemen: 6 civilians killed in Al Houthi shelling". Gulf News . Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  48. ↑ Al-Batati, Saeed (7 January 2021). "Houthi shelling kills 6 in Taiz as UN Yemen envoy visits Aden". Arab News. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  49. ↑ Al-Batati, Saeed (10 January 2021). "Yemeni government calls for global efforts to stop Houthi assaults in Taiz". Arab News. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  50. ↑ Elhennawy, Noha (7 January 2021). "UN envoy arrives in Aden a week after deadly airport blast". Associated Press. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  51. 1 2 "Explosion heard in Yemeni city of Aden -residents". Reuters. 7 January 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  52. ↑ Al Sherbini, Ramadan (8 January 2021). "Yemen: Conflicting reports on Aden blast". Gulf News. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  53. ↑ Pompeo, Michael R. (10 January 2021). "Terrorist Designation of Ansarallah in Yemen" (Press release). United States Department of State. Archived from the original on 20 January 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  54. ↑ McKernan, Bethan (11 January 2021). "'Diplomatic vandalism': aid groups' fury as US puts Houthis on terror list". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  55. ↑ Jakes, Lara; Hubbard, Ben (11 January 2021). "U.S. Rush to Declare Houthis Terrorists Threatens to Halt Aid to Yemen". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  56. ↑ "Yemeni govt welcomes US decision to designate Houthis as terrorist organization". Arab News. 11 January 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  57. ↑ Al-Batati, Saeed (27 January 2021). "Yemen steps up diplomatic drive for Houthi terrorist designation". Arab News. Archived from the original on 29 January 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  58. ↑ Baidhani, Saleh (12 January 2021). "US designation of Houthis as terrorist to facilitate Yemen settlement". The Arab Weekly. Archived from the original on 29 January 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  59. ↑ "UN officials fear US terrorist designation will hasten famine in Yemen". UN News. 14 January 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  60. ↑ Nebehay, Stephanie (14 January 2021). "Red Cross fears U.S. move against Yemen's Houthis will impede aid". Reuters. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  61. ↑ Schifrin, Nick (15 January 2021). "Biden team says recent Trump foreign policy moves 'feel like sabotage'". PBS . Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  62. ↑ Hernandez, Michael Gabriel (20 January 2021). "Biden team signals review of Houthi terror designation". Anadolu Agency. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  63. ↑ "US 'terrorist' designation of Yemen's Houthis comes into effect". Al Jazeera English. 19 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  64. ↑ Pamuk, Humeyra (22 January 2021). "U.S. State Department says working to conclude Houthi terrorist designation review". Reuters. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  65. ↑ "Aid groups urge US to revoke Houthi terror group listing". Deutsche Welle. 24 January 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  66. ↑ "Aid groups urge Biden to remove Yemen rebels from 'terror' list". Radio France Internationale. Agence France-Presse. 24 January 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  67. ↑ "Aid agencies make unprecedented and united call for Biden administration to revoke Ansar Allah terrorist designation" (Press release). ReliefWeb. 24 January 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  68. ↑ Lee, Matthew (26 January 2021). "Biden administration suspends some sanctions on Yemen rebels". Associated Press. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  69. ↑ "Biden ends support for Saudi's Yemen war in foreign policy shift". Al Jazeera English. 4 February 2021. Archived from the original on 5 February 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  70. ↑ "Yemen's Houthis protest against Trump's terrorist label". Reuters. 25 January 2021. Archived from the original on 3 February 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  71. ↑ "Supporters of Yemen's Houthis protest outside US embassy". Anadolu Agency. 19 January 2021. Archived from the original on 3 February 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  72. ↑ "Saudi Arabia: Explosion shakes Riyadh". Deutsche Welle. 26 January 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  73. ↑ Edwards, Robert; Ahmad, Tarek Ali (27 January 2021). "Are Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis firing warning shots across Biden administration's bows?". Arab News. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  74. ↑ Jakes, Lara; Schmitt, Eric (5 February 2021). "Biden Reverses Trump Terrorist Designation for Houthis in Yemen". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 6 February 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  75. 1 2 Miller, Zeke (6 February 2021). "Biden revokes terrorist designation for Yemen's Houthis". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 6 February 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  76. ↑ Hubbard, Ben; Almosawa, Shuaib (5 February 2021). "Biden Ends Military Aid for Saudi War in Yemen. Ending the War Is Harder". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 6 February 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  77. ↑ Hudson, John; Ryan, Missy (6 February 2021). "Biden administration to remove Yemen's Houthi rebels from terrorism list in reversal of Trump-era policy". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 7 February 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  78. ↑ "Biden administration to lift blacklisting of Yemen's Houthis". Al Jazeera English. 12 February 2021. Archived from the original on 15 February 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  79. 1 2 "Death toll in Yemen airport blast rises to 25, over 100 injured". Qantara.de . 31 January 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  80. 1 2 Baser, Hacer (31 December 2020). "'Iranian experts' involved in airport blasts: Yemeni PM". Anadolu Agency. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  81. ↑ Al-Batati, Saeed (31 December 2020). "Iranian experts plotted attack on Aden airport: Yemeni PM". Arab News. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  82. 1 2 3 Magdy, Samy (2 January 2021). "Yemen's PM says airport attack aimed to 'eliminate' Cabinet". Associated Press. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  83. ↑ Al-Haj, Ahmed (3 January 2021). "Airport in Yemen receives 1st flight since deadly attack". Associated Press. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  84. ↑ Abueish, Tamara (14 January 2021). "Houthi ballistic missiles targeted Aden airport: Yemen's interior ministry". Al Arabiya English. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  85. ↑ "Yemen says ballistic missiles used to attack Aden airport". Arab News. 14 January 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  86. 1 2 3 4 "Aden attack investigation fuels regional concerns about Iranian missiles". The Arab Weekly. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  87. 1 2 Al-Ahmadi, Aziz (14 January 2021). "Aden airport attack carried out by Houthi rebels: Yemen". Anadolu Agency. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  88. 1 2 "كيف ضَلَّ الموت طريقه في مطار عدن". Bawabatii (in Arabic). 20 January 2021. Archived from the original on 10 February 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  89. ↑ Shaif, Wail (16 October 2020). "Aden, Yemen. 16th Oct, 2020. Yemeni prisoners, who were held by Houthi, arrive at an airport in the southern city of Aden, after being released on the second day of a prisoner swap between the Yemeni government and the Houthi movement. More than 1,000 people detained in relation to the conflict in Yemen are to be transported back to their region of origin or to their home countries by The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in the largest operation of its kind during the five-and-a-half-year war". Deutsche Presse-Agentur. 2D6DWMJ. Archived from the original on 10 February 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2021– via Alamy.
  90. ↑ Binnie, Jeremy (30 October 2018). "Yemeni rebels unveil new missile". Jane's Defence Weekly . Archived from the original on 30 October 2018. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  91. ↑ "Demands for an international investigation into Aden airport attack grows". Arab News. 2 January 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  92. 1 2 "Int'l team arrives in Yemen's Aden to probe deadly airport bombings". Xinhua News Agency. 3 February 2021. Archived from the original on 4 February 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  93. ↑ @OSE_Yemen (30 December 2020). "UN Secretary-General @antonioguterres condemns the deplorable attack on #Aden airport shortly after the arrival of the newly formed Yemeni cabinet. He extends his profound condolences to the families of the victims & to the people and Government of #Yemen" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  94. ↑ "UN chief and Yemen Envoy condemn deadly Aden airport attack". UN News. 30 December 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  95. ↑ "Press release on UN Special Envoy's call with Yemen's Foreign Minister" (Press release). Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen. 31 December 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  96. ↑ "Yemen: Fatal airport attack 'potentially amounts to a war crime' – UN envoy". UN News. 1 January 2021. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  97. ↑ Hegazi, Sami (31 December 2020). "Egypt, Arab League denounce Aden Airport attack in Yemen". Daily News Egypt . Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  98. 1 2 "Arab League SG condemns Aden airport attack" (Press release). Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Yemen. 31 December 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  99. ↑ Stano, Peter (30 December 2020). "Yemen: Statement by the Spokesperson on the attack in Aden" (Press release). European External Action Service . Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  100. ↑ "EU strongly condemns Aden airport attack". Kuwait News Agency. 31 December 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  101. ↑ "India strongly condemns Aden airport attack". The Hindu . 31 December 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.