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| Scores killed in apparent airstrike at U.N. refugee camp in Yemen | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| SANAA, Yemen — An apparent airstrike killed scores of people at a United Nations refugee camp in northern Yemen on Monday amid escalating air raids by a Saudi Arabia-led coalition that are targeting Shiite insurgents across the war-ravaged country. | SANAA, Yemen — An apparent airstrike killed scores of people at a United Nations refugee camp in northern Yemen on Monday amid escalating air raids by a Saudi Arabia-led coalition that are targeting Shiite insurgents across the war-ravaged country. |
| As many as 40 people died and some 200 were wounded in an attack on the Mazraq camp in Hajjah province, said Joel Millman, a spokesman for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which runs aid programs at the facility. | As many as 40 people died and some 200 were wounded in an attack on the Mazraq camp in Hajjah province, said Joel Millman, a spokesman for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which runs aid programs at the facility. |
| It was not immediately clear whether the incident was the result of an airstrike by the coalition of mostly Arab countries that have come together to stop sweeping military advances across Yemen by the insurgents, known as Houthis. There was no immediate comment from Saudi Arabia. | It was not immediately clear whether the incident was the result of an airstrike by the coalition of mostly Arab countries that have come together to stop sweeping military advances across Yemen by the insurgents, known as Houthis. There was no immediate comment from Saudi Arabia. |
| But it appeared to be the deadliest incident since coalition air raids began on Thursday, and it highlighted the risk of worsening civilian casualties in fighting that has dragged this impoverished Arabian Peninsula country into full-scale civil war. | But it appeared to be the deadliest incident since coalition air raids began on Thursday, and it highlighted the risk of worsening civilian casualties in fighting that has dragged this impoverished Arabian Peninsula country into full-scale civil war. |
| Speaking from the Saudi capital, Yemeni Foreign Minister Riyadh Yaseen blamed Houthi “artillery strikes” for the casualties at the camp. | Speaking from the Saudi capital, Yemeni Foreign Minister Riyadh Yaseen blamed Houthi “artillery strikes” for the casualties at the camp. |
| But a senior Houthi official, Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, blamed the coalition, accusing it of “disregard for Yemeni blood.” The Houthis firmly control Hajjah, and their positions in the province have been regularly targeted by coalition warplanes. | But a senior Houthi official, Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, blamed the coalition, accusing it of “disregard for Yemeni blood.” The Houthis firmly control Hajjah, and their positions in the province have been regularly targeted by coalition warplanes. |
| The Mazraq camp is one of several U.N.-supported facilities in the north that house thousands of people who were displaced during various conflicts, including previous wars between the government in Sanaa, the capital, and the Houthis. | The Mazraq camp is one of several U.N.-supported facilities in the north that house thousands of people who were displaced during various conflicts, including previous wars between the government in Sanaa, the capital, and the Houthis. |
| Established in 2009, the camp holds about 1,100 families. Many of them arrived from surrounding areas over the last year as a result of a Houthi offensive that has now reached as far south as the port city of Aden on the eastern approach to the Red Sea. | Established in 2009, the camp holds about 1,100 families. Many of them arrived from surrounding areas over the last year as a result of a Houthi offensive that has now reached as far south as the port city of Aden on the eastern approach to the Red Sea. |
| Doctors Without Borders, an international humanitarian organization, said 500 more families sought refuge in the camp over the last two days because of the bombings in nearby Saada province, the Houthis’ homeland. In a statement, the group described the attack as an “airstrike” that killed dozens of people. | Doctors Without Borders, an international humanitarian organization, said 500 more families sought refuge in the camp over the last two days because of the bombings in nearby Saada province, the Houthis’ homeland. In a statement, the group described the attack as an “airstrike” that killed dozens of people. |
| The group’s physicians treated 34 wounded people who were brought by ambulance from the Mazraq camp to a hospital in the town of Haradh, Doctors Without Borders said. | The group’s physicians treated 34 wounded people who were brought by ambulance from the Mazraq camp to a hospital in the town of Haradh, Doctors Without Borders said. |
| “An additional 29 people were dead on arrival, among them women and children,” it said. “According to witnesses, the airstrike may have caused a larger number of wounded.” | “An additional 29 people were dead on arrival, among them women and children,” it said. “According to witnesses, the airstrike may have caused a larger number of wounded.” |
| Reuters news agency quoted unidentified humanitarian workers as saying an airstrike hit a truck carrying Houthi militiamen near the camp’s entrance. The Yemeni Defense Ministry, which is under rebel control, put the death toll at 40, Reuters reported. | Reuters news agency quoted unidentified humanitarian workers as saying an airstrike hit a truck carrying Houthi militiamen near the camp’s entrance. The Yemeni Defense Ministry, which is under rebel control, put the death toll at 40, Reuters reported. |
| Over the last year, the Houthis have become Yemen’s dominant power, toppling the U.S.-backed government and seizing control over most of country’s north. | Over the last year, the Houthis have become Yemen’s dominant power, toppling the U.S.-backed government and seizing control over most of country’s north. |
| The Saudi-led military campaign has not stopped the rebels from mounting assaults in the south, even as its airstrikes have destroyed rebel-controlled bases and weapons. | The Saudi-led military campaign has not stopped the rebels from mounting assaults in the south, even as its airstrikes have destroyed rebel-controlled bases and weapons. |
| Attacks by the Houthis and military units loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh intensified in the Aden on Saturday, residents said. They reported that tanks began shelling the northern edges of the strategic port city. | Attacks by the Houthis and military units loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh intensified in the Aden on Saturday, residents said. They reported that tanks began shelling the northern edges of the strategic port city. |
| “The fighting was intense this morning,” said Abdulnaser al-Arabi, 46, an activist from Aden. At least one coalition airstrike hit a weapons-storage facility in the Green City area of Aden, and warships off the coast struck Houthi militias as they attempted to enter the city from the eastern province of Abyan, he said. | “The fighting was intense this morning,” said Abdulnaser al-Arabi, 46, an activist from Aden. At least one coalition airstrike hit a weapons-storage facility in the Green City area of Aden, and warships off the coast struck Houthi militias as they attempted to enter the city from the eastern province of Abyan, he said. |
| “Those attacks appeared to have slowed the progress of the Houthis,” he said by telephone. | “Those attacks appeared to have slowed the progress of the Houthis,” he said by telephone. |
| Saleh, who was deposed by a 2011 uprising, has used the military units that are still loyal to him to support the Houthis against Yemen’s Saudi-backed president, Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, and his allies. | Saleh, who was deposed by a 2011 uprising, has used the military units that are still loyal to him to support the Houthis against Yemen’s Saudi-backed president, Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, and his allies. |
| Hadi fled to Saudi Arabia last week. He escaped Houthi-imposed house arrest in Sanaa and made his way earlier this month to Aden, where he attempted to establish a rival government. | Hadi fled to Saudi Arabia last week. He escaped Houthi-imposed house arrest in Sanaa and made his way earlier this month to Aden, where he attempted to establish a rival government. |
| Erin Cunningham in Cairo, Heba Habib in Sharm el-Sheikh, Daniela Deane in London and William Branigin in Washington contributed to this report. | Erin Cunningham in Cairo, Heba Habib in Sharm el-Sheikh, Daniela Deane in London and William Branigin in Washington contributed to this report. |
| Read more: | Read more: |
| How the Yemen conflict risks new chaos in the Middle East | How the Yemen conflict risks new chaos in the Middle East |
| Pakistan’s long history of fighting Saudi Arabia’s wars | Pakistan’s long history of fighting Saudi Arabia’s wars |
| Who are the Houthis? | Who are the Houthis? |
| Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world | Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world |