Yemen: Air strike leaves at least 20 dead in south

Event

On Tuesday, July 18, at least 20 civilians were killed and many others wounded in a Saudi-led coalition airstrike in the southwest of the country, according to claims by the Houthi rebel movement. The strike targeted the village of Al-Atera, located in Taiz province. For the past several months, the internationally recognized Yemeni government, backed by the Saudi-led coalition, has been fighting to take control of a military base in the area.

Context

This attack is the latest in a series of Saudi-led coalition bombings that have allegedly hit schools, hospitals, markets, and private homes across Yemen.

Yemen is engaged in a complex and deadly conflict, ongoing since Houthi rebels entered into a civil war with the Yemeni government, supported by a Saudi-led coalition, in 2015. Two rounds of UN-backed peace talks have failed to resolve the conflict. Approximately 10,000 Yemenis have died in the fighting and over 2.5 million are displaced. The devastating war has also sparked a cholera outbreak, which as affected approximately 350,000 people to date.

Advice

The security environment in Yemen remains complex. Although travel is permissible in some areas, other areas should be considered strictly off limits. Professional security advice and support should be sought prior to travel. Many Western governments advise their citizens against all travel to the country.