A terrorist attack at a military parade rehearsal killed hundreds of people

Yesterday in Yemen, at least 96 people were killed and more than a hundred were injured as a result of a terrorist attack. Al-Qaeda, which is waging a war with government forces for control of certain areas of the country, has claimed responsibility.

In Sanaa yesterday, final preparations were completed to celebrate the 22nd anniversary of the unification of Yemen. One of the decorations of the celebrations was to be a military parade in the central Al-Sabin square. The military carried out the last run on Monday. The Minister of Defense, Major General Muhammad Nasser Ahmed Ali, and a group of high-ranking officers came to the square for an inspection.

As the commanders lined up the soldiers in columns, a powerful explosion occurred. People were literally scattered across the square. “It was a massacre,” said Private Ahmed Sobhi. “There were severed arms, legs and heads lying everywhere.” Body parts were found hundreds of meters from the epicenter of the explosion. Apparently, the target of the terrorist attack was the Minister of Defense, but he was far from the explosion and was not injured. In total, at least 96 people were killed and more than a hundred were injured. Today's celebrations look set to be greatly reduced or even cancelled.

According to preliminary data, the explosion was carried out by a suicide bomber who hid explosives under his clothes. Investigators claim that he was in military uniform, since there were no civilians in the square. It is now becoming clear whether the suicide bomber was a real military serviceman or simply used his military uniform to enter the square.

The al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula group claimed responsibility for the attack. Islamist militants have been fighting government forces for control over certain areas of Yemen for several years now. Ten days ago, the army launched a large-scale anti-terrorist operation in the southern province of Abyan. Last year, Islamists managed to take control of a number of cities there, and the authorities decided to return them. Despite the use of aviation and armored vehicles by government forces, it was not possible to finish off the militants with a swoop. As a result, in the first days of fighting alone, more than 30 militants were killed and 19 military personnel were killed.

According to experts, such a bloody terrorist attack occurred in the capital of Yemen for the first time. Islamic radicals appear to be making it clear to President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi that Sanaa will now also be a battleground. However, yesterday the president said he would continue the war on terrorism, despite the threats.

Alexander Reutov

Al-Qaeda thunders in Yemen