A drone and missile attack on Yemen’s key military airbase.
Image Credit: IANS
On Sunday, a drone strike in a military base in Yemen’s south killed at least 40 soldiers. It is the deadliest attack in the country’s civil war.
The military base attacked housed troops of the pro-government Giants Brigades, which are backed by the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia and are considered the internationally- recognized government. This government was put into exile following the Houthi militants uprising in 2014, which eventually led to a civil war. The militants captured most of the North of Yemen, and the capital, Sanaa.
The base targeted was Al-Anad Air Base located in the province of Lahj. According to Yemeni officials there were three explosions, one missile hit a barracks housing 50 troops, and soon afterwards saw suicide drones filled with explosives headed down to the base. The troops managed to shoot down one of the drones.
Soldiers of the 3rd Giants Brigades were struck by three ballistic missiles while they were gathering for morning military training exercises inside the large air base of Anad. Another two explosive-laden drones targeted other government soldiers while they were having their breakfast inside the same air base
Official that spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The scene was of utter chaos with many troops carrying the wounded as they were expecting another attack. Many charred bodies of the dead and wounded were scattered along the whole base. The death toll is expected to increase, as alot of the wounded have been seriously injured and suffered third degree burns. They were rushed to the nearby Ibn Khaldun hospital. At least 65 troops were injured in the attack. The attack will complicate international efforts for a cease-fire in Yemen.
This terrorist attack affirms once again that the continuation of Houthi militia in the approach of military escalation.
Information Minister Moammar al-Iryani
Officials have already put the blame on the Houthi militant group. The explosives-laden drones were most likely supplied by the Iranian regime, which is backing the rebels. The base was once the site for the US intelligence operations against Al-Qaeda.
The civil war in Yemen has killed more than 130,000 people and resulted in the worst humanitarian crisis ever in recent times.
Share this:
What Now News 24 