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Yemen conflict: IS suicide bomber kills army recruits in Aden | Yemen conflict: IS suicide bomber kills army recruits in Aden |
(about 3 hours later) | |
At least 40 people, most of them army recruits, have been killed in two bomb attacks claimed by so-called Islamic State (IS) in the Yemeni city of Aden. | |
In the first, a suicide bomber targeted young men queuing to enlist at the home of a senior army commander. | |
Shortly afterwards there was a second blast at a nearby army base. | Shortly afterwards there was a second blast at a nearby army base. |
Aden is serving as the temporary home of Yemen's government while it seeks to regain control of the capital, Sanaa, from the Houthi rebel movement. | Aden is serving as the temporary home of Yemen's government while it seeks to regain control of the capital, Sanaa, from the Houthi rebel movement. |
Pro-government forces and troops from a Saudi-led coalition regained control of Aden last summer, but they have struggled to prevent deadly attacks by local affiliates of IS and the rival jihadist group, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). | |
'Horrible' scene | |
In Monday's first attack, a bomb exploded beside a group of recruits who were lined up outside the home of a general in the Khormaksar district, which acts as a bridge between the mainland and a peninsula where much of the city lies. | |
There were conflicting reports about whether the assailant detonated an explosive vest or a car bomb. | There were conflicting reports about whether the assailant detonated an explosive vest or a car bomb. |
A bomb planted at the gate of the Badr army base exploded a short time later. | |
Brig-Gen Nasser al-Sarei, the commander of Yemen's Special Security Forces, said 34 people had been killed in the first attack and seven in the second. | |
However, local officials told the Reuters news agency that the first blast had left 40 dead and the second had caused no casualties. | |
One Aden resident described the scene of the suicide bombing as "horrible", saying victims' body parts had been blown dozens of metres away by the blast. | |
"They came to complete the procedure of their recruitment and receive their first salary," he told the AFP News agency. | |
IS later issued a statement on social media saying that one of its members had blown himself up amid a group of "apostate soldiers" and that an improvised explosive device (IED) had been detonated nearby. | |
Eight days ago, IS claimed it was behind a suicide bombing that killed 31 police recruits at a base in the south-eastern port city of Mukalla. | Eight days ago, IS claimed it was behind a suicide bombing that killed 31 police recruits at a base in the south-eastern port city of Mukalla. |
Mukalla was recaptured by pro-government forces last month after a year of rule by AQAP, which has exploited the chaos resulting from Yemen's civil war. | Mukalla was recaptured by pro-government forces last month after a year of rule by AQAP, which has exploited the chaos resulting from Yemen's civil war. |
At least 6,200 people, half of them civilians, have been killed and almost three million others have been displaced since March 2015, when the Saudi-led coalition launched a military campaign to defeat the Houthis. | At least 6,200 people, half of them civilians, have been killed and almost three million others have been displaced since March 2015, when the Saudi-led coalition launched a military campaign to defeat the Houthis. |
The conflict has also pushed the Arab world's poorest country to the brink of famine and left 82% of the population in need of humanitarian assistance. | The conflict has also pushed the Arab world's poorest country to the brink of famine and left 82% of the population in need of humanitarian assistance. |