Suicide bomber kills 10 in Yemen

Attacker dressed as a woman hits mosque

AT least 10 Muslim worshippers performing Eid-ul-Adha prayers were killed yesterday when an Islamic State (IS) suicide bomber disguised as a woman blew himself up at a mosque run by Yemen’s Houthi group, security sources said.

IS’s branch in Yemen said the attack at al-Balili mosque, just outside the Old City of Sanaa, had killed or wounded dozens of “rejectionists”.

The Sunni militant group uses that term to describe Shi’ite Muslims it deems to be heretics.

“In a security operation facilitated by God as part of the acts of revenge for Muslims from the rejectionist Houthis, brother Abu Omar al-Hadidi waded into a crowd of apostate Houthis at al-Balili temple and detonated his suicide belt, causing dozens to perish or to be injured,” a statement said.

Medics said at least 36 other people were wounded. A Houthi website gave a death toll of at least 10, while Arab media said it was at least 25.

Witnesses had earlier described a twin suicide attack on the mosque, where worshippers were celebrating Eid-ul-Adha, the feast of sacrifice.

One witness, who lives nearby, said he heard one explosion followed quickly by a second. “We gathered to rescue the wounded. The situation is very painful and blood is everywhere.”

The witnesses said the first blast shook the mosque soon after worshippers gathered for prayers. A second suicide bomber detonated his explosives belt when Houthi guards tried to stop him rushing deep inside the mosque.

“We rushed outside and summoned the ambulances,” one witness said.

Houthi fighters sealed off the area and shouted at onlookers to stay away.

It was the second attack in the capital this month targeting a mosque run by the Shi’ite Zaydi group. On September 2, at least 28 people were killed and 75 wounded in twin suicide bombings at a mosque in northern Sanaa.

The attack came amid more fighting between the Saudi-led alliance and Houthis. – Reuters