Key takeaways:
- At least 78 people were killed and 73 injured in a stampede at an event to distribute financial aid in Yemen’s capital.
- Armed Houthis fired into the air in an attempt to control the crowd, sparking panic and leading to the stampede.
- Many of the casualties were women and children, and an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the tragedy.
At least 78 people were killed and 73 injured in a stampede at an event to distribute financial aid in Yemen’s capital late Wednesday. The event was organized by merchants without coordination with local authorities and took place in the Old City in the center of Sanaa.
According to witnesses Abdel-Rahman Ahmed and Yahia Mohsen, armed Houthis fired into the air in an attempt to control the crowd. This caused an electrical wire to explode, sparking panic and leading to the stampede.
The Houthi-run Interior Ministry said that many of the casualties were women and children. The injured were taken to nearby hospitals.
The incident occurred during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, and the Houthi officials have not yet determined the cause of the stampede. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the tragedy.
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