At least 78 dead in Yemen stampede

The bodies lie lifeless next to each other, the screams go wild: according to the Houthi rebels, at least 78 people in Yemen have died in mass panic. The director of the health authority in the capital Sanaa, Mutahar al-Maruni, said this on Thursday evening to the rebel-affiliated television channel Al-Masirah. Dozens of other people were also injured. According to the Houthis, there had been a deadly crush during the late night distribution of donations.

According to the Houthis’ Saba news agency, a spokesman for the local interior ministry said some traders had “arbitrarily” handed out monetary donations without prior coordination. Then panic broke out.

Eyewitnesses described to the news site “Al-Masdar” how shots could sometimes be heard. This and an explosion after a short circuit would have added to the panic and eventually led to the mob. Hundreds had previously gathered at a school to receive monetary donations from a known dealer. Some local media reported that the Houthis had fired shots.

In videos intended to show the scenes after the incident, numerous bodies lay on the ground. One video showed dozens of people crowding into a confined space while shouting loudly, some appearing to literally drown in the crowd. The tragedy occurred during the ongoing Islamic fasting month of Ramadan.

The head of the Supreme Political Council, Mahdi al-Maschat, called for an investigation into the incident. A designated commission arrived at the scene of the incident that evening, according to a Saba report. Two suspected dealers were arrested. The Houthi interior ministry accused them of distributing the money without consulting the ministry.

Yemen is located in the south of the Arabian Peninsula. The Shia Houthi rebels have taken over large parts of northern Yemen in their insurgency that has been ongoing since 2014 and also control the capital Sanaa. The rebels are backed by Iran with a Shiite majority. Saudi Arabia has been fighting the Houthis since 2015 along with allies besides the government in the country.

One of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters is happening in Yemen, mainly due to the consequences of the civil war. About 21 million people are in need of some form of humanitarian aid and protection. (sda/dpa)