This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-33108113
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 1 | Version 2 |
---|---|
Unesco condemns Yemen heritage site 'air strike' | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
UN heritage body Unesco has condemned destruction in "one of the world's oldest jewels" of Islamic culture in an apparent air strike in Yemen. | |
The Old City of Sanaa, a World Heritage site, was hit in a raid on Friday morning which killed five people, residents and medics said. | |
Residents said it was the first direct hit on old Sanaa since the bombing of Houthi rebels started in late March. | Residents said it was the first direct hit on old Sanaa since the bombing of Houthi rebels started in late March. |
The Saudi-led anti-rebel coalition has denied it carried out the bombing. | |
Unesco head Irina Bokova said she was "profoundly distressed". | Unesco head Irina Bokova said she was "profoundly distressed". |
She said the destruction in the oldest part of the capital Sanaa, which included three houses, would "only exacerbate the humanitarian situation". | She said the destruction in the oldest part of the capital Sanaa, which included three houses, would "only exacerbate the humanitarian situation". |
"This heritage bears the soul of the Yemeni people, it is a symbol of a millennial history of knowledge and it belongs to all humankind," she added. | "This heritage bears the soul of the Yemeni people, it is a symbol of a millennial history of knowledge and it belongs to all humankind," she added. |
President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi fled to Saudi Arabia in March after being placed under effective house arrest by Houthi rebels who took control of the capital. | President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi fled to Saudi Arabia in March after being placed under effective house arrest by Houthi rebels who took control of the capital. |
More than 2,200 people have been killed and about 10,000 injured since the start of the Saudi-led bombing campaign, according the UN. Riyadh says the offensive is aimed at restoring President Hadi and pushing back the Houthis. | More than 2,200 people have been killed and about 10,000 injured since the start of the Saudi-led bombing campaign, according the UN. Riyadh says the offensive is aimed at restoring President Hadi and pushing back the Houthis. |
However Saudi coalition spokesman Brig Gen Ahmed al-Assiri said his forces had not bombed the Old City. "For sure we did not conduct any operation inside [the] city," he told AFP news agency. | |
At the end of May, the ancient city of Marib was bombed a week after the National Museum in Dhamar - containing some 12,500 artefacts - was completely destroyed, according to Unesco. |