Saudiled coalition’s strikes on rebel jail kill at least 65
SANAA, Yemen — The Saudiled coalition fighting Yemen’s rebels attacked a detention center in the southwestern province of Dhamar with several air strikes Sunday, killing at least 65 people and wounding dozens more, officials and the rebels’ health ministry said.
The Red Cross delegation in Yemen warned the final toll could surpass 100 victims.
The attack was the deadliest so far this year by the coalition, which has faced international criticism for air strikes that have killed civilians and hit nonmilitary targets.
Yemeni officials said Sunday’s strikes targeted a college in the city of Dhamar, which the rebels, known as Houthis, were using as a detention center. The coalition denied it attacked a prison, saying it targeted a military site.
“We were sleeping and around midnight, there were maybe three, or four, or six strikes. They were targeting the jail, I really don’t know the strike numbers,” wounded detainee Nazem Saleh said while on a stretcher in a local hospital. He said the International Committee of the Red Cross had visited the center two times before the strikes.
Youssef alHadhri, a spokesman for the Houthirun Health Ministry, said at least seven air strikes hit three buildings in the complex overnight.
The ICRC, which inspects detention centers as part of its global mission, said it had visited the site in the past. Former detainees, meanwhile, said the Houthis had also used the site in the past to store and repair weapons. The Saudiled coalition said it had hit a military facility used by the rebels to restore drones and missiles.
On Sunday, Sweden’s foreign minister was holding talks in Jordan, part of her efforts to restart negotiations after years of stalemate between the warring sides. Saudi Arabia intervened on behalf of the internationally recognized government in March 2015, after the Iranbacked Houthis took the capital city of Sanaa. The conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives, thrust millions to the brink of famine and spawned the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
Health officials said at least 65 people were killed in Sunday’s attack. An additional 50 were wounded.
The Saudiled coalition said it hit a Houthi military facility used as storage for drones and missiles in Dhamar, “in accordance with international humanitarian law.” It said “all precautionary measures were taken to protect civilians.”
AbdulQader elMurtaza, a rebel official, said dozens of captured government fighters were being held at the site.
“The targeted prison housed over 170 prisoners of war, most of whom were supposed to be part of a local exchange deal,” he was quoted as saying by the Houthirun alMasirah TV.
The Red Cross said it sent urgent medical supplies and 200 body bags to Dhamar.
Omat alSalam alHaj, a mother of a detainee, said the center housed antiHouthi political detainees who were rounded up over suspicions of cooperating with the coalition.