Dozens Killed and Hundreds Injured in Attack on Mourning Ceremony in Sana'a

An attack on a mourning ceremony in Sana'a has left dozens dead and hundreds injured. The Houthis have described the incident as an airstrike by the Arab coalition, but Reuters, in an urgent report citing sources close to the coalition, denied that any airstrikes occurred in Sana'a. The Associated Press reported on Saturday afternoon that the 'airstrike by the Saudi-led coalition' on a mourning ceremony in Yemen's capital resulted in 82 deaths, and according to Nasser Arjali, a senior official in the Houthi-affiliated Health Ministry, 534 people were also injured in the incident. The French news agency also cited a spokesperson for the Houthi Health Ministry, stating that the death toll exceeded one hundred, but noted that there is no independent source to confirm the exact number of victims. According to the Associated Press, this mourning ceremony was held to commemorate Sheikh Ali Al-Ruwaishan, the father of the Houthi government's interior minister. The dead and injured include military and security forces affiliated with the Houthis as well as individuals loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, including Major General Abdul Qadir Hilal, the head of the local council in the capital. In this context, Mohammed Abdulsalam, the Houthi spokesperson in Sana'a, referred to the 'airstrike by coalition forces' as 'genocide' and criticized the silence of the United Nations and the international community regarding this matter. Meanwhile, Reuters reported that sources from the Arab coalition stated that the coalition did not conduct any attacks in Sana'a on Saturday. One of these sources referenced 'the confirmation of the coalition's air command' in their explanation. They stated that 'the coalition is aware of the reports in this regard and the possibility of a bombing at this gathering should be considered.' This unnamed source also reminded that the Arab coalition has previously refrained from attacking such gatherings, and such events have never been targeted. Hours later, the French news agency also published similar statements citing a statement from the Saudi-led coalition. The bloody incident in Sana'a has also drawn a reaction from the Islamic Republic, with Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson describing it as 'horrific and inhumane' and expressing condolences to the survivors. Bahram Qasemi also criticized the 'silence of international bodies' in this regard, emphasizing that 'there is no way to end the fabricated crisis in Yemen other than stopping the aggressive nature of the savage Al Saud and starting serious dialogues with the participation of all Yemeni parties.' Yemen, considered the poorest country in the Arab world, has been embroiled in a civil war since the Houthis seized Sana'a, and since April 2015, the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia has intervened in support of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, the country's president. Peace talks in Kuwait aimed at ending 18 months of war under UN supervision reached a deadlock last month, and following the failure of negotiations, the opponents of Mr. Hadi's government formed a Supreme Political Council as the main executive body to govern the country, appointing the former governor of Aden to form a national salvation government. The government of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, recognized by the international community as Yemen's legitimate government, has been based in Aden for months.