49 Killed in Central Yemen Suicide Bombing

Governor Injured in Attack on Houthis

At least 49 people were killed and scores wounded in a suicide bombing in Ibb, in central Yemen, which targeted a Shi’ite religious celebration that was attended by a number of leaders of the Houthi rebels.

The Houthis have advanced into cities like Ibb, which were in al-Qaeda territory, in recent month, and al-Qaeda has launched a number of suicide attacks against them.

How many Houthis were among the killed and wounded is unclear, but leaders called it a “massacre,” adding that many women and children were also wounded in the incident.

So was the city’s governor, according to reports, though he is expected to survive. So far al-Qaeda hasn’t claimed credit for the attack, though it is widely expected that they will.

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.