Many casualties from air strike on mourners in Yemen - witnesses

[MowCowWhoHow III]

Source: Reuters

SANAA, Oct 8 (Reuters) - Saudi-led coalition aircraft fired rockets at mourners for the father of the interior minister in the Houthi-dominated Yemeni government on Saturday, causing many casualties, witnesses and medics said.

They said a missile tore through a hall in the south of the capital Sanaa where a wake for the father of Interior Minister al-Roweishan was being held, destroying the building.

There was no immediate comment from the Saudi-led coalition on the report.

Witnesses described ambulances ferrying casualties from the scene, where a plume of black smoke rose into the sky. A medic said there were mutilated and charred bodies, but gave no figures.

Read more: http://news.trust.org/item/20161008144851-6erz9

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#Breaking BLOODIEST Attack: 300+ civilians killed & injured by 4 Saudi airstrike attacks on funeral hall in #Yemen capital #Sanaa.

https://twitter.com/YemenPostNews/status/784758638690889728

[Sunlei]

1. How horrible, likely killed many officials attending the wake for the father of Interior Minister.

And their families.

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. 155 dead, according to CNN

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/10/08/middleeast/yemen-airstrikes/

Exact numbers of those involved in the blasts vary. Acting health minister in the Houthi-dominated Yemeni government's health ministry, Ghazi Ismail, said at least 82 people had been left dead and 534 badly hurt by the blast.

Meanwhile, the Yemen Post Newspaper reported at least 155 were dead and more than 320 injured.

http://www.itv.com/news/2016-10-08/yemen-funeral-hall-saudi-arabia-airstrikes/

[former9thward]

3. I wonder if Kerry will call for a war crimes investigation.

Like he has for the Russians in Syria.

[Eugene]

4. US says support for Saudi Arabia not a 'blank cheque' after Yemen air raid

Source: The Guardian

US says support for Saudi Arabia not a 'blank cheque' after Yemen air raid

Coalition announces inquiry into strike that killed 140 people
in Sana’a as US says its backing is not ‘a blank cheque’

Patrick Wintour Diplomatic editor
Sunday 9 October 2016 13.38 BST

The US said its security cooperation with Saudi Arabia was not a “blank cheque” as Riyadh agreed to mount an investigation into a widely condemned air raid on funeral in Yemen that killed 140 people.

In one of the deadliest attacks of the country’s civil war, which Saudi Arabia entered in March 2015, airstrikes on Saturday hit a funeral hall packed with thousands of mourners in Yemen’s rebel-held capital, Sana’a. More than 525 people were wounded.

The Saudi-led coalition has not acknowledged responsibility for the attack, even as it announced an investigation, but is the only force with such air power in the conflict.

The White House issued a statement saying it had begun an “immediate review” of its support for Saudi Arabia in Yemen. The attack has been condemned by the UN, the European Union and the United States.

The issue is embarrassing for the US since it has decried the Russian failure to be more open about its role in the air attack on a UN aid convoy in Syria, and it will face allegations of double standards if it allows the Saudis to delay an inquiry.

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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/09/saudi-arabia-investigate-air-raid-on-funeral-in-yemen

[moondust]

5. Apparently some Houthi leaders were there.

My guess is that Saudi intelligence learned that some Houthi leaders were going to be there and decided to strike.