Hajjah Governorate airstrike

Last updated

Hajjah Governorate airstrike
Part of the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
Location Bani Qa'is District, Hajjah Governorate, Yemen
Date22 April 2018
Attack type
Airstrike
DeathsVarying estimates, from 33, [1] 43, [2] up to 55 according to some sources
Perpetrators Royal Saudi Air Force

On 22 April 2018, an airstrike by the Saudi Arabian-led coalition hit a wedding in the Bani Qa'is District of Hajjah Governorate, Yemen. Casualty estimates vary, with the Houthi-owned Al-Masirah reporting the toll later that day to be at least 33 civilians including the bride. [3] Forty-five other people were injured. [4]

Contents

Airstrike

The Saudi Arabian-led coalition carried out two separate airstrikes in Yemen. The planes repeatedly flew over the area where the strike was being conducted, thus preventing medical personnel from treating the victims. [3] The victims were primarily women and children, who were congregating in one of the tents set up for the wedding. [5] A Houthi government spokesperson said that ambulances were initially unable to reach the scene due to the threat from jets, which continued to fly overhead. [3]

According to the Houthi officials, the strikes first targeted the men gathering at the wedding and then the women. [3]

The airstrike killed the bride and wounded the groom with shrapnel. Some of the injured children lost eyes and limbs. [6] According to Abdul Hakim Alkhulani, a spokesperson for the Health Ministry, "Due to many casualties from the coalition-led wedding attacks, field hospitals were made near the site of the attacks giving injured civilians medical treatment in order to save lives". [7] Video footage of the airstrike shows body parts scattered around the area, as well as a young boy hugging a man's body who had died from the strike. [4] According to Bellingcat, a citizen journalist organisation, the bomb was made by the American company Raytheon. [8]

Reactions

A spokesperson for the Saudi Arabian coalition which carried out the airstrike said, "We take this report very seriously and it will be fully investigated as all reports of this nature are". [4]

The foreign ministry spokesman of Iran, Bahram Qassemi, responded to the airstrike saying "The escalated bombardment of residential areas proves the desperation and inability of the invaders in achieving their goals". [9]

The Saba News Agency of Yemen described the airstrike as "the new genocidal crime of the Saudis". [9]

The Campaign Against Arms Trade, a UK-based organisation, responded to the incident with a criticism of the UK government, "Yemen is now in its fourth year of war, and the bombardment is getting worse. Thousands have been killed, and many more will be if it continues. Theresa May has said she wants the UK to play a positive role on the world stage, so why is her government still arming and supporting Saudi atrocities? It's time for her to put the lives of Yemeni people above the interests of arms companies." [10]

See also

Related Research Articles

Abha International Airport is an airport in Abha, the capital of 'Asir Province in Saudi Arabia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abdul-Malik al-Houthi</span> Leader of the Houthi movement since 2004

Abdul-Malik Badruldeen al-Houthi, also known as Abi 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">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 following a new joint request from Yemeni president Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi for military support after his forces were ousted from Sanaʽa by Houthi insurgents during the Yemeni Civil War. Government forces, Houthi rebels, and other armed groups fought after the draft constitution and power-sharing arrangements collapsed, despite progress made by the UN during the political transition at that time. Violence escalated in mid-2014. Houthis and allied insurgents seized control of Sana'a in September 2014 and thereafter. In response, President Hadi asked Saudi Arabia to intervene against the Iranian-backed Houthis.

International reactions to the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen of 2015 were mixed. Most other Arab League nations and several Western governments backed the Saudi Arabia-led military coalition, but other governments warned against an escalation in the violent situation in Yemen.

The Battle of Dhale was a key fight for control of Dhale, Yemen, between the Houthis and Yemen Army units loyal to Ali Abdullah Saleh on one side, and militiamen and Yemen Army units loyal to Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi on the other side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abyan campaign</span> Campaign of the Yemeni Civil War

The Abyan campaign was a campaign for control of the Abyan Governorate of Yemen, between the Houthis and Yemen Army units loyal to Ali Abdullah Saleh on one side, and militiamen and Yemen Army units loyal to Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi on the other side, supported by jihadists of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. The Pro-Hadi Forces recaptured the Abyan Governorate on 11 August 2015, after launching an offensive on pro-Houthi forces in early August.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shabwah campaign</span> Campaign of the Yemeni Civil War

The Shabwah campaign was a campaign for control of the Shabwah Governorate of Yemen, between the Houthis and Yemen Army units loyal to Ali Abdullah Saleh on one side, and militiamen and Yemen Army units loyal to Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi on the other side. The offensive was also launched during a previously started AQAP offensive.

<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 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.

A Saudi Arabian-led military intervention in Yemen began in 2015, in an attempt to influence the outcome of the Yemeni Civil War. Saudi Arabia, spearheading a coalition of nine Arab states, began carrying out airstrikes in neighbouring Yemen and imposing an aerial and naval blockade on 26 March 2015, heralding a military intervention code-named Operation Decisive Storm. More than 130 health facilities(2019) in Yemen have been destroyed by a series of airstrikes conducted by the Saudi Arabian-led coalition since March 2015. Many of these have been public health hospitals staffed or supported by Doctors Without Borders (MSF). Critics of the assaults say the airstrikes are war crimes in violation of the protections of health care facilities afforded by the internationally recognized rules of war and have called for independent investigations.

The Battle of Port Midi refers to a battle during the Yemeni Civil War between the Saudi coalition-backed Hadi loyalists and the Houthi government. Although Hadi loyalists seized the port, the Houthi fighters along with the popular committees managed to conduct some attacks around Midi. The conflict also had spillovers in the rest of the Hajjah Governorate. On 26 January 2017, Hadi loyalists extended their control to Harad District in Hajjah Governorate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">War crimes in the Yemeni civil war (2014–present)</span> Aspect of the war

War crimes and human rights violations, committed by all warring parties, have been widespread throughout the Yemeni civil war. This includes the two main groups involved in the ongoing conflict: forces loyal to the current Yemeni president, Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, and Houthis and other forces supporting Ali Abdullah Saleh, the former Yemeni president. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant have also carried out attacks in Yemen. The Saudi-led coalition, backed by the United States and other nations, has also been accused of violating human rights and breaking international law, especially in regards to airstrikes that repeatedly hit civilian targets.

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

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marib campaign</span> Campaign of the Yemeni Civil War

The Marib campaign, also called Marib offensive, is an ongoing military campaign taking place in the Yemeni civil war for the control of the Marib Governorate of Yemen. Fighting between the Houthi forces and factions of the Yemeni Army loyal to Supreme Political Council on one side, and Yemeni Army units loyal to president Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and militiamen on the other side, took place since early 2015. Marib is rich in oil and gas resources and is a key strategic governorate because it connects the Houthi-controlled Sanaa and Alimi-controlled Hadhramaut governorates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Al Hudaydah</span> Battle of the Yemeni Civil War

The siege of Al Hudaydah, codenamed Operation Golden Victory, was a major Saudi-led coalition assault on the port city of Al Hudaydah in Yemen. It was spearheaded by the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia and has been considered as the largest battle since the start of Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen in 2015.

On 9 August 2018, Saudi Arabian expeditionary aircraft bombed a civilian school bus passing through a crowded market in Dahyan, Saada Governorate, Yemen, near the border with Saudi Arabia. At least 40 children were killed, all under 15 years old and most under age 10. Sources disagree on the exact number of deaths, but they estimate that the air strike killed about 51 people.

The Dhamar Airstrike took place on 1 September 2019 when Saudi led military coalition aircraft targeted a college building in Dhamar, Yemen that was used as a detention facility by the Houthis. According to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Yemen, the airstrike killed dozens of detainees.

The 2022 Abu Dhabi attack was a 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.

References

  1. Hakim Almasmari. "Houthi political leader confirmed dead Monday; airstrikes kill more than 30 at Yemen wedding". CNN. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  2. "Saudi air raids kill 43 at wedding in Yemen". Keshmir Observer. Archived from the original on 26 April 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Sharman, Jon; Ghantous, Ghaida; al-Haj, Ahmed (23 April 2018). "Yemen: 'At least 20 killed including bride' after airstrike by Saudi-led coalition hits wedding party". The Independent . Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 Sharman, Joe; Ghantous, Ghaida (23 April 2018). "Yemen: 'At least 20 killed including bride' after airstrike by Saudi-led coalition hits wedding party". The Independent . Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  5. "Yemen war: Saudi-led air strike on wedding 'kills 20'". BBC News . 23 April 2018. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  6. Haynes, Danielle (23 April 2018). "Airstrike kills more than 20 at Yemen wedding". United Press International . Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  7. Almasmari, Hakim (23 April 2018). "Houthi political leader confirmed dead Monday; airstrikes kill more than 30 at Yemen wedding". CNN . Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  8. Toler, Aric (27 April 2018). "American-Made Bomb Used in Airstrike on Yemen Wedding". bellingcat. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  9. 1 2 "Dozens killed in air raid on Yemen wedding: medics". Yahoo News . Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  10. "Yemen: After air strike on wedding, CAAT asks why is UK still arming Saudi Arabia". Independent Catholic News. 24 April 2018.