Yemen: 85 killed, hundreds injured in stampede during charity event
Around 85 people died and hundreds were injured in a stampede during a charity distribution event in war-torn Yemen's capital Sanaa on Thursday, news agency AFP reported, quoting Huthi officials. The latest tragedy to hit the nation comes just days ahead of the Muslim holiday Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the ongoing Islamic holy month of Ramzan.
Here's what led to stampede incident in Yemen
The incident reportedly took place inside a school where hundreds of people from poverty-hit Yemen had gathered to receive aid. Associated Press (AP) reported that armed Houthis fired shots in the air to control the unruly crowd; however, the gunshots struck an electrical wire, causing an explosion. This sparked panic, and people began stampeding, eyewitnesses claimed.
Distrubing details from Sanaa charity event stampede
In numerous videos on social media, a cluster of bodies can be seen packed together as people climb on top of each other to find a way out. Furthermore, distribution workers and armed fighters in military attire can be seen yelling at the crowd to turn back while pulling people out of the stampede.
Footage from Sanaa
More visuals from Yemen's Sanaa
Huthi's interior ministry reacts to stampede incident
As per a statement from Huthi's interior ministry, the dead and injured were moved to nearby hospitals, and those responsible for the distribution have been taken into custody. While not specifying an exact death toll, the ministry stated, "Dozens of people were killed due to a stampede during a random distribution of sums of money by some merchants."
Know about Yemen's ongoing civil war
Over eight years of civil war in the country have resulted in what the United Nations (UN) has called one of the world's worst humanitarian tragedies. The conflict began in 2014 when Huthi rebels backed by Iran seized Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene the following year to prop up the internationally recognized government.
Two-thirds of Yemen's population lives below poverty line: UN
As per the UN, more than two-thirds of the population in Yemen lives below the poverty line; this also includes government employees in Huthi-controlled areas who have not been paid in years. The data from the intergovernmental organization also revealed that as many as 21.7 million people need humanitarian assistance in the conflict-hit nation in 2023.
