Yemeni president condemns devastating rebel missile attack as death toll continues to rise
- At least 79 troops were killed and 81 others wounded during evening prayers
- The missile strike was the bloodiest attack in Marib since the beginning of Yemen’s long-running civil war
Yemen’s president and condemned on Sunday an attack by Houthi rebels on a government military camp, as authorities said fatalities had risen to at least 79 troops.
Ballistic missiles smashed into a mosque in the training camp in the central province of Marib late Saturday, wounding 81 others during evening prayers, according to Abdu Abdullah Magli, spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces.
The UN envoy to Yemen delivered a stern warning about the recent spike in military activity across multiple provinces, noting with “particular concern” the air strike that hit the military camp.
“The hard-earned progress that Yemen has made on de-escalation is very fragile. Such actions can derail this progress,” said Martin Griffiths.
Yemen’s Foreign Ministry estimated the death toll reached at least 100.
The oil-rich province of Marib lies about 115km (70 miles) east of the Houthi-controlled capital, Sanaa. The city is a stronghold of the Saudi-led, US-backed coalition.
