|
 The air raid, which also wounded at least 60 people, came ahead of
planned U.N.-sponsored talks in Geneva aimed at ending Yemen's
conflict that has drawn in regional powers, including the world's
top oil exporter Saudi Arabia.
Residents said the warplanes had targeted vacant houses in Bait
Me'yad, a district near the heart of Sanaa that is home to a number
of relatives of Saleh, whose loyalists are allied with Houthi
forces, the dominant armed faction in the conflict.
Mohammed Yahya, an eyewitness, said two missiles struck two Saleh
relatives' houses while the third crashed in the middle of the
neighborhood, causing several casualties. Another witness said three
explosions shook the neighborhood.
"We felt as if the house was going to collapse over our heads," said
the man, identified as Ali Ahmed. "We ran, with the children, and
hid under the stairwell. It was terrifying."
Medical sources said nine people who had suffered severe injuries
died on arrival at hospital while 60 others were under care at three
hospitals in the capital.
 Saleh remains influential in Yemen through his control of the former
ruling party, the General People's Congress, and the loyalty of many
in the military, despite having stepped down after mass protests in
2011 against his long authoritarian rule.
He subsequently made common cause with the Houthis, members of the
Zaydi branch of Shi'ite Islam who seized control of Sanaa last
September and forced President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to flee the
Arabian Peninsula country.
The Saudi-led coalition is trying to restore Hadi to power. The
Houthis, who have advanced across wide areas of Yemen, say they are
pursuing a revolution against corruption and Sunni Muslim militants,
and deny any military or economic links with Iran, which also says
it accords them only diplomatic support.
Western powers and the Arab alliance fear Iran, via the Houthis, is
trying to extend its regional influence into Yemen.
[to top of second column] |
The World Health Organization said on Friday that 2,584 people had
been killed and 11,065 injured in the conflict, which has wrought a
worsening humanitarian crisis.
UNICEF said on Thursday that 80 percent of Yemen's population --
over 20 million people -- now needed humanitarian assistance after
more than two months of air strikes and heavy factional fighting.
On Friday, six people were killed and a part of Sanaa's historic Old
City, a world heritage site, was destroyed in an air raid. Saudi
Arabia denied targeting the Old City.
UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova has said she was distressed by
the loss of lives and "by the damage inflicted on one of the world's
oldest jewels of Islamic urban landscape".
The United Nations said on Friday that talks between Yemen's warring
parties scheduled for Sunday has been delayed by one day to Monday
as one delegation was arriving late in Geneva.
(Reporting by Mohammed Ghobari in Sanaa; Writing by Sami Aboudi;
Editing by Mark Heinrich)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
