Saudi Airstrikes Kill 44 Civilians Across Northern Yemen

20 Killed in Attack on a Wake in Jawf Province

After Friday saw the highest death toll of pro-Saudi fighters yet in the Yemen war, including 60 soldiers from GCC member nations (45 from the United Arab Emirates, 5 Bahrainis, and 10 Saudis), Saudi warplanes were pounding northern Yemen on Sunday.

As is so often the case, the “retaliatory” airstrikes were hitting people who had nothing to do with the Friday clashes. Some 44 civilians were reported killed in various strikes across the region, including 24 civilians in the capital city of Sanaa.

The deadliest single attack, however, was in the northern Jawf Province, where Saudi warplanes pounded a wake, killing 20 tribesmen who were mourning a man who, ironically enough, was killed by the Shi’ite Houthis who the Saudis are at war with.

The Saudis declared war against Yemen in March, vowing to reinstall former President Hadi, who resigned in January. Hadi was “elected” in 2012 in a single-candidate vote. The Houthis took the capital city of Sanaa in late 2014, after an offensive against their northern Saada Province collapsed.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.