More than 100 people presumed dead after airstrikes

More than 100 people are “presumed killed” in Yemen after airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition hit a detention centre run by the Houthi rebels, the Red Cross says.

The head of the Red Cross delegation in Yemen, Franz Rauchenstein, said: “Witnessing this massive damage, seeing the bodies lying among the rubble, was a real shock. Anger and sadness were natural reactions.”

The Red Cross said the final death toll from yesterday’s attack was not yet confirmed.

The detention centre held about 170 detainees – 40 are being treated for injuries, the rest are presumed dead.

Yemeni officials said the airstrikes hit a college being used as a detention centre in the southwestern city of Dhamar.

The officials said at least 65 people were killed and more than 50 wounded.

The Saudi-led coalition has said it was targeting a storage site for drones and missiles.

The attack was the deadliest so far this year by the coalition, which has faced international criticism for airstrikes that have killed civilians and hit nonmilitary targets.

Yesterday, Sweden’s foreign minister was holding talks in Jordan, part of her efforts to relaunch negotiations after years of stalemate between the warring sides.

Foreign Office minister Dr Andrew Murrison has said a political solution in Yemen “is the only way to bring this dreadful conflict to an end”.

Dr Murrison has returned from a visit there, where he met Yemen president Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and Saudi foreign minister Adel al Jubeir.

“A political solution is the only way to bring this dreadful conflict to an end and we call for all parties to come to the negotiating table.”

Mr Murrison has returned from a visit to the region.