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Yemen Suicide Bomber Kills at Least 23 Yemen Suicide Bomber Kills at Least 23
(35 minutes later)
SANA, Yemen — At least 23 people were killed in Yemen on Wednesday when a suicide bomber detonated explosives at a cultural center in the southern city of Ibb where hundreds of people were commemorating the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday, according to a witness and officials. SANA, Yemen — At least 23 people were killed in Yemen on Wednesday when a suicide bomber detonated explosives at a cultural center in the southern city of Ibb, where hundreds of people were commemorating the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday, according to a witness and officials.
There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the attack at the ceremony, which was organized by supporters of the Houthis, a former rebel group that took control of Yemen’s capital, Sana, in September.There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the attack at the ceremony, which was organized by supporters of the Houthis, a former rebel group that took control of Yemen’s capital, Sana, in September.
The attack appeared to fit a pattern of recent strikes by Sunni extremists from Al Qaeda’s affiliate in Yemen. Sunni hard-liners regard the Houthis — whose leadership comes from the minority Zaydi sect, an offshoot of the Shia branch of Islam — as heretics. The attack appeared to fit a pattern of recent strikes by Sunni extremists from Al Qaeda’s affiliate in Yemen. Sunni hard-liners regard the Houthis — whose leadership comes from the minority Zaydi sect, an offshoot of the Shiite branch of Islam — as heretics.
As the Houthis have advanced into cities throughout Yemen over the past few months — in part to fight Al Qaeda — the militants have attacked Houthi gatherings in Sana and elsewhere. Dozens of civilians have been killed, and the attacks have prompted fears of intensified sectarian fighting. As the Houthis have advanced into cities throughout Yemen over the past few months, in part to fight Al Qaeda, the militants have attacked Houthi gatherings in Sana and elsewhere. Dozens of civilians have been killed, and the attacks have prompted fears of intensified sectarian fighting.
The overall toll from the attacks includes at least 15 schoolgirls who were killed in a car bombing at a Houthi gathering this month.The overall toll from the attacks includes at least 15 schoolgirls who were killed in a car bombing at a Houthi gathering this month.
A witness to the bombing on Wednesday, who asked not to be identified, described scenes of panic and carnage in a hall that had been packed with at least 500 people when the bomber struck, at about 11 a.m. Afterward, he said, the center was filled with mangled bodies and dozens of badly wounded people. A witness to the attack on Wednesday, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, described scenes of panic and carnage in a hall that had been packed with at least 500 people when the bomber struck, around 11 a.m. Afterward, the witness said, the center was filled with mangled bodies and dozens of seriously wounded people.
The death toll in the bombing was expected to rise. Saba, Yemen’s official news agency, quoted local officials in Ibb as saying that at least 48 people had been wounded, some of them seriously.The death toll in the bombing was expected to rise. Saba, Yemen’s official news agency, quoted local officials in Ibb as saying that at least 48 people had been wounded, some of them seriously.