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Suicide Bomber Kills Dozens at Yemen Army Recruiting Event Suicide Bomber Kills Dozens of Yemeni Army Recruits
(about 4 hours later)
AL MUKALLA, Yemen — A suicide bomber attacked a gathering of army recruits in the southern Yemeni city of Aden early Monday, killing at least three dozen people in what witnesses and security officials described as one of the deadliest bombings in the city since Yemen’s civil war began 14 months ago.AL MUKALLA, Yemen — A suicide bomber attacked a gathering of army recruits in the southern Yemeni city of Aden early Monday, killing at least three dozen people in what witnesses and security officials described as one of the deadliest bombings in the city since Yemen’s civil war began 14 months ago.
Pictures of the aftermath showed bodies slumped around concrete barricades outside a local commander’s home, where the recruits had lined up. A local branch of the Islamic State extremist group claimed responsibility for the attack, in a statement distributed on jihadist websites.Pictures of the aftermath showed bodies slumped around concrete barricades outside a local commander’s home, where the recruits had lined up. A local branch of the Islamic State extremist group claimed responsibility for the attack, in a statement distributed on jihadist websites.
The attack was part of a surge of violence by militant extremists in southern Yemen since last month, when a force led by the United Arab Emirates and backed by United States Special Operations forces began an offensive to drive Al Qaeda’s local affiliate, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, from territory its militants captured in the south during the conflict.The attack was part of a surge of violence by militant extremists in southern Yemen since last month, when a force led by the United Arab Emirates and backed by United States Special Operations forces began an offensive to drive Al Qaeda’s local affiliate, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, from territory its militants captured in the south during the conflict.
With the affiliate’s leaders on the run, the deadliest attacks have come from the Islamic State’s shadowy local branch, which has carried out dozens of suicide bombings since the war began — including attacks that even the Qaeda affiliate has regarded as too brutal. The bombing on Monday came a little more than a week after the Islamic State claimed responsibility for a similar attack in Al Mukalla, east of Aden, that killed at least 25 police recruits.With the affiliate’s leaders on the run, the deadliest attacks have come from the Islamic State’s shadowy local branch, which has carried out dozens of suicide bombings since the war began — including attacks that even the Qaeda affiliate has regarded as too brutal. The bombing on Monday came a little more than a week after the Islamic State claimed responsibility for a similar attack in Al Mukalla, east of Aden, that killed at least 25 police recruits.
The bombings raised the specter of a competition for supremacy in Yemen between the Islamic State and Al Qaeda. The attacks also undermined an effort led by the United Arab Emirates to stabilize Yemen’s chaotic south, a project that Emirati officials have likened to state-building.The bombings raised the specter of a competition for supremacy in Yemen between the Islamic State and Al Qaeda. The attacks also undermined an effort led by the United Arab Emirates to stabilize Yemen’s chaotic south, a project that Emirati officials have likened to state-building.
Yemen’s civil war has sharpened a long-running divide between the country’s north and south. Much of the north, including Sana, the capital, is under the control of the Houthi rebels and their allies. Yemen’s government, which was driven from power — and from the capital — by the Houthis, has been trying to establish beachheads in Aden and Al Mukalla, with the support of military coalition led by Saudi Arabia that includes the United Arab Emirates.Yemen’s civil war has sharpened a long-running divide between the country’s north and south. Much of the north, including Sana, the capital, is under the control of the Houthi rebels and their allies. Yemen’s government, which was driven from power — and from the capital — by the Houthis, has been trying to establish beachheads in Aden and Al Mukalla, with the support of military coalition led by Saudi Arabia that includes the United Arab Emirates.
But an enormous military presence has so far failed to secure the south.But an enormous military presence has so far failed to secure the south.
Maj. Gen. Ali Nasser Lakhsha, the Aden-based deputy minister of the interior, said the bombing on Monday succeeded partly because many government buildings had been destroyed in the war, which meant recruits had to be signed up in a relatively vulnerable area.Maj. Gen. Ali Nasser Lakhsha, the Aden-based deputy minister of the interior, said the bombing on Monday succeeded partly because many government buildings had been destroyed in the war, which meant recruits had to be signed up in a relatively vulnerable area.
Security agencies had failed to adapt after similar, previous bombings, he said. “We did not learn the lesson, unfortunately,” he said.Security agencies had failed to adapt after similar, previous bombings, he said. “We did not learn the lesson, unfortunately,” he said.
Delegates representing the Houthis and the government have been holding peace negotiations in Kuwait for the past several weeks. The talks have eased the fighting in some parts of Yemen — and have led to fewer airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition — but many Yemenis fear the calm is a prelude to a more violent phase of the war.Delegates representing the Houthis and the government have been holding peace negotiations in Kuwait for the past several weeks. The talks have eased the fighting in some parts of Yemen — and have led to fewer airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition — but many Yemenis fear the calm is a prelude to a more violent phase of the war.
Relief agencies have warned of a catastrophic toll on Yemeni civilians if the fighting continues. United Nations officials said last week that aid workers had been able to reach only a fraction of Yemen’s 180,000 severely malnourished children.Relief agencies have warned of a catastrophic toll on Yemeni civilians if the fighting continues. United Nations officials said last week that aid workers had been able to reach only a fraction of Yemen’s 180,000 severely malnourished children.
The children were among 7.6 million Yemenis — nearly a third of the country’s population — who are considered “food insecure” and a step away from famine, officials said.The children were among 7.6 million Yemenis — nearly a third of the country’s population — who are considered “food insecure” and a step away from famine, officials said.
On Sunday, Amnesty International warned in a report that civilians trying to return to their homes during the slowdown in fighting faced new dangers from thousands of unexploded cluster munitions dropped during the conflict by the Saudi-led coalition. The weapons, outlawed by an international treaty because they kill indiscriminately, often leave unexploded “bomblets” or submunitions that can kill or maim unsuspecting civilians. The bomblets can seem like toys to children.On Sunday, Amnesty International warned in a report that civilians trying to return to their homes during the slowdown in fighting faced new dangers from thousands of unexploded cluster munitions dropped during the conflict by the Saudi-led coalition. The weapons, outlawed by an international treaty because they kill indiscriminately, often leave unexploded “bomblets” or submunitions that can kill or maim unsuspecting civilians. The bomblets can seem like toys to children.
Amnesty said that it had found evidence that the coalition had used cluster munitions manufactured in the United States, Britain and Brazil, and that at least 16 Yemeni civilians, including nine children, had been killed by the weapons between July 2015 and April 2016.Amnesty said that it had found evidence that the coalition had used cluster munitions manufactured in the United States, Britain and Brazil, and that at least 16 Yemeni civilians, including nine children, had been killed by the weapons between July 2015 and April 2016.
“These casualties took place days, weeks and sometimes months after the bombs were dropped by coalition forces in Yemen,” the report said. The victims included brothers, 9 and 12, both goat herders, who had played with munitions they found in a valley in northern Hajjah Province.“These casualties took place days, weeks and sometimes months after the bombs were dropped by coalition forces in Yemen,” the report said. The victims included brothers, 9 and 12, both goat herders, who had played with munitions they found in a valley in northern Hajjah Province.
The 9-year-old, who survived, was quoted by Amnesty as saying that the explosion had blown him back several yards. His brother, whose stomach was torn open, with one arm severed, died in the blast, Amnesty said.The 9-year-old, who survived, was quoted by Amnesty as saying that the explosion had blown him back several yards. His brother, whose stomach was torn open, with one arm severed, died in the blast, Amnesty said.