Another Deadly Attack Rocks Yemen
A deadly militant attack at Yemen’s Defense Ministry killed 52 people and left 116 wounded.
According to media reports, a suicide bomber and gunmen wearing army uniforms attacked Yemen’s defense ministry on Thursday.
Then gunmen opened fire on soldiers, foreign medical staff, doctors and nurses working at a hospital inside.
Who Is Responsible For The Attack?
Yemeni authorites said the attack is linked to al Qaeda-linked militants who have repeatedly attacked government officials.
Reports say the staff were arriving for work when the suicide bomber attacked the Ministry building.
Security forces gained control of the Ministry’s compound after killing most of the militants.
US Deplores The Attack
The US has expressed deep condemnation on the attack against the Yemeni Ministry of Defense.
In a press statement in Washington DC, Deputy Department Spokesperson Marie Harf said the United States condemns the terrorist attack against the Yemeni Ministry of Defense, which resulted in the senseless killing and wounding of dozens.
“We extend our sincere condolences to the families of the victims.” – Ms. Harf
She said the US stands with Yemen against the violence and remains firmly committed to supporting the Yemeni people as they seek to conclude the National Dialogue and move forward peacefully with Yemen’s historic democratic transition.
Concerns About Yemen Increasing
Yemen is increasingly a source of concern for the United States and other Western countries, as the mixing of civil discontent and regional actors makes it vulnerable to terror groups such as al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and the Shi’ite Houthi rebels.
In addition to fighting an ongoing civil war with the secessionist Houthis, the country has become a breeding ground for AQAP.
AQAP has been behind attacks on Yemeni soil and has used the country as a launching pad for terror attacks elsewhere.
In addition to the terror threat and domestic instability, Yemen faces poverty and severe oil and water shortages.
In February 2012, Yemen’s new President Abbed Rabbo Mansour al-Hadi took his oath of office in parliament, formally removing Ali Abdullah Saleh from power after 33 years.
Vice President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi ran in the uncontested race, a deal brokered by the Gulf Cooperation Council to neutralize the conflict engulfing the country.
It is estimated that the recent political turmoil in Yemen, part of a wave of protests across the Middle East and North Africa calling for social, economic and democratic reforms, has led to more than 82 deaths and hundreds of injuries.
