At least five children killed in blast in southwest Yemen
The circumstances surrounding the incident late on Friday in the al-Hashmah subdistrict of Taiz province remain unclear.
However, on Saturday, the Yemen Center for Human Rights and another rights group called Eye of Humanity, along with Houthi-controlled Al Masirah TV, said an artillery shell was fired by militias backed by the Islah party, which is allied to the internationally recognised government in south Yemen.
Two local residents who were witnesses, Ahmed al-Sharee and Khaled al-Areki, told The Associated Press news agency that the children were playing football when the explosion happened.
At least three people with minor to moderate injuries were also taken to the hospital, according to the witnesses. Meanwhile, Mahmoud al-Mansi, another witness, said the explosive was directed from an area where forces allied with the Islah party were present.
A spokesperson for the United Nations children's agency, UNICEF, told The Associated Press that they are aware of reports about the incident but can't verify the facts at the moment.
The Yemen Center for Human Rights condemned the incident in a report that included graphic photos of the children's torn bodies. Citing healthcare sources at al-Rafai Hospital, where the victims arrived unresponsive, the group said they died from shrapnel injuries.
Two of the children were 12 years old, while two others were 14 years old, according to the group. The age of the fifth child is unknown.
Taiz city, the capital of the province of Taiz, has been a battleground, pitting the Houthis against other armed groups backed by the Islah party against each other and other factions in Yemen's civil war.
The city was under Houthi blockade since 2016, restricting the freedom of movement and flow of essential goods to residents, but Houthis recently opened key roads.
Yemen's ruinous civil war began in 2014 when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and much of northern Yemen, forcing the internationally recognised government into exile.
A coalition led by Saudi Arabia and including the United Arab Emirates intervened in 2015 to try to restore the government to power.
Years of UN-brokered peace talks have also failed to break the deadlock. But the conflict has been largely frozen since the sides reached a ceasefire in 2022.
The UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council controls much of the south, which has been fractured by the civil war. The council advocates for the south's secession and has its own forces, allied to the internationally recognised government, fighting the Houthis.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Washington Post
16 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Shooting at a Central African Republic gold mine run by Russia's Wagner leaves 11 dead
BANGUI, Central African Republic — A shooting at a mine controlled by the Russia-linked Wagner mercenary group in the Central African Republic killed at least 11 people, residents and aid workers said Friday. The victims were killed Wednesday night at the gold mine in Ndassima, about 450 kilometers (280 miles) east of the country's capital of Bangui, the residents and aid workers told The Associated Press. Residents of nearby villages are forbidden access to the Wagner-controlled mine. Resident Serge Pounematchi, whose son was among those killed, said the victims were at the site searching for gold residue and gravel when they were summarily killed. He joined other villagers in holding funerals for the victims. 'It is a shame that the right to life does not exist,' Pounematchi said. Authorities did not yet confirm any details of the violence, and local officials did not immediately respond to inquiries. Two aid workers, speaking on the condition of anonymity for fear of being targeted, confirmed that the victims were young people from surrounding villages and that most were shot dead. Constantin Pounoukouzou, a resident of Ndassima, said some villagers are still missing. 'Unemployed young people have no choice but to go to this site at night (for) the gravel,' Pounoukouzou said. Wagner is often accused of carrying out rights abuses and extrajudicial killings with little or no accountability in Central African Republic, where it has pledged to fight rebel groups and restore peace. The mercenaries have served as personal bodyguards for President Faustin Archange Touadera , helping him win a 2023 constitutional referendum that could extend his power indefinitely.
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
LA explosion at sheriff's department training facility leaves 3 deputies dead
An explosion at a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department training facility Friday left three deputies dead, officials said. The blast was reported just before 7:30 a.m. Pacific and occurred at the Biscailuz Center Training Academy in East L.A., which opened in 2017. During a news conference Friday, Sheriff Robert Luna declined to answer questions about how the events unfolded, citing the ongoing investigation. He noted that the scene was rendered safe for investigators to enter just minutes before he took the podium. "There's a lot more that we don't know than we do know," Luna said, adding that it was too early to say what the deputies were doing when the blast took place. "But our intent is to look at this from the very beginning and figure out what is it exactly that caused this tragic event." Luna did not identify the fallen deputies, citing their grieving families. He said he'd met with family members of two of the three deputies killed in the explosion. No other department members were injured in the blast or transported to the hospital, Luna said. The incident represented the largest loss of life for the department since 1857, Luna said. L.A. County was founded in 1850. "Between all three sworn members, they had served our community proudly for 74 years," said Luna, who called the deputies "elite" and "fantastic experts" on LASD's Arson Explosives Detail. Senior law enforcement officials who were briefed on the investigation told CBS News that authorities in Los Angeles are actively investigating the explosion as having possibly been triggered by material recovered yesterday that exploded this morning. The material was probably not an improvised explosive device, and the incident does not appear to be a training accident, the sources said. According to a LASD spokesperson, the explosion occurred in the parking lot of the Special Enforcement Bureau at the facility. In a statement posted to X, U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi said federal agents were at the scene. "I just spoke to [U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli] about what appears to be a horrific incident that killed at least three at a law enforcement training facility in Los Angeles," she said. "Our federal agents are at the scene and we are working to learn more. Please pray for the families of the sheriff's deputies killed." Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the agency was working with local and federal law enforcement to respond to the incident. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass confirmed that LAPD investigators were assisting at the scene. "The thoughts of all Angelenos are with all of those impacted by this blast," she added. LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell confirmed that the department assisted by sending Bomb Squad, SWAT, and K-9 teams. "We stand in solidarity with our Sheriff's Department colleagues during this incredibly difficult time and we remain ready to assist in any way we can," he said. The office of California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he was briefed on the situation and was offering full state assistance for the response. California State University, Los Angeles, which is located just north of the facility, issued a statement noting that there was no threat to the campus. An on-campus parking lot is being used as a staging area for the Sheriff's Department. At the news conference, Luna confirmed that there was no ongoing threat to the community. L.A. County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger said in a statement that she was monitoring the situation and offered her condolences to the families affected. "I am heartbroken to hear of the terrible tragedy that has unfolded today at an L.A. County Sheriff's Department facility. I am closely tracking the situation as we learn more about what occurred and the condition of those affected," she said. "My heart is heavy, and my thoughts are with the brave men and women of the Sheriff's Department during this difficult time. We stand with them and their families as they navigate the hours and days ahead."
Forbes
2 hours ago
- Forbes
Despite Funding Cuts, But UNICEF Won't Stop Delivering For Children
After almost 80 years of U.S. support for UNICEF, Congress voted to cut aid for children in dire need around the world, zeroing out Fiscal Year 2025 funding for critical humanitarian programs, including UNICEF's core resources. Despite this deeply disappointing decision, UNICEF will continue to deliver for children — and your support is more important than ever. Every child has the right to proper nutrition. On Dec. 2, 2024, health volunteers screen children for malnutrition and provide vitamin A and deworming tablets during a UNICEF-supported door-to-door nutrition campaign in Aroma locality, Kassala state, Sudan. After more than two years of brutal armed conflict, children in Sudan are living through the world's largest child displacement crisis. Access to health care, nutrition, safe water, education and protection has been disrupted for millions. UNICEF is staying and delivering for Sudan's children and their families. In a predawn vote on July 17, 2025, the Senate approved by a narrow margin the rescissions package submitted by the White House, clawing back Fiscal Year 2025 funding for critical humanitarian programs, including $142 million in core resources for UNICEF. The next day, the House followed suit. The result? A profound setback for millions of children and communities around the world. Aid cuts put the most vulnerable children at even greater risk and weaken U.S. interests For nearly 80 years, UNICEF has partnered with the people of the United States to improve outcomes for children everywhere. The U.S. Government has consistently rallied behind UNICEF's mission to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. "The decision to eliminate core U.S. funding for UNICEF is deeply disappointing," says Michael J. Nyenhuis, UNICEF USA President and CEO. "This funding has long enjoyed bipartisan support because it delivers tangible, proven results: protecting children from deadly disease and malnutrition, strengthening health systems and advancing stability in regions critical to global security — outcomes that make America safer, stronger and more prosperous. "Cutting it puts the most vulnerable children at even greater risk," Nyenhuis continued. "It also weakens the United States' ability to lead with compassion and credibility on the global stage at a time when that leadership is needed most." Every child has the right to learn and reach their full potential. UNICEF provides education support for children in emergencies and helps build stronger educational systems around the world. Tala, 10, attends a UNICEF temporary learning space in the Gaza Strip on Oct. 24, 2024. With almost 80 years of experience, UNICEF knows how to allocate resources to achieve the greatest impact for children UNICEF is the world's largest children's organization, mandated by the United Nations to protect the rights of children and ensure they are healthy, educated, protected and respected. Working from offices in 190 countries and territories, UNICEF staff are mostly local and in program countries. With their deep program expertise and networks, UNICEF's staff are the lifeblood of the impact UNICEF delivers for children. As a UN agency, UNICEF is uniquely positioned to drive national accountability while building the capacity of local civil society, NGOs and other stakeholders. UNICEF contributes to 12 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, more than any other organization, and aligns all its development work with those goals through five-year cooperation agreements with national governments called Country Program Documents. Reversing hard-won progress The aid cut will have a huge impact on children's lives and their education. It also threatens to reverse hard-won progress achieved by UNICEF and partners. Since 2000, global under-5 mortality has dropped by 50 percent. Millions of children are alive today thanks to UNICEF's time-tested, cost-effective work. Millions more have been protected with improved health and brighter futures. 'We project that cuts will disrupt UNICEF health services for up to 13 million children across West and Central Africa,' Patrick Quirk, UNICEF USA Vice President, Global Policy and Public Affairs, told Politico before the Senate vote. 'An infectious disease outbreak in that area is one flight away from infecting families here in the U.S.' Every child has the right to health. Children caught in emergencies rely on UNICEF support for vital services including health care. Above, Dr. Florence S. Saint-Surin, head of the Pediatric Department at UNICEF-supported La Paix Hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, tends to a young patient on Jan. 28, 2025. La Paix is the city's only functioning public hospital. 'The patients come from everywhere, and we have to take care of them,' said Dr. Saint-Surin. 'Where else will they go?' UNICEF delivers for children when they need it most In 2024, in the face of relentless conflict, climate emergencies and natural disasters, an estimated 183.5 million children required humanitarian assistance. And UNICEF teams around the world responded. As children were forcibly displaced; as they were killed or injured or suffered other grave violations of their rights; as they were left malnourished or without health care, their education disrupted — UNICEF delivered: Myth vs fact UNICEF's core funding is not used for overhead expenses. It goes directly where it is needed most. Core funding enables UNICEF to respond to emergencies and implement long-term systems change, helping save lives, scale solutions and strengthen national systems. UNICEF is not funded by the United Nations. It relies entirely on voluntary contributions from governments, intergovernmental organizations, foundations, the private sector and individuals. Every child has the right to safety. In Hatay, Türkiye, a sister and brother shelter in an informal camp for families displaced by an earthquake that hit 11 provinces in southeastern Türkiye and northern Syria on Feb. 6, 2023. UNICEF provided immediate lifesaving support following the massive quake The world's children need our support now more than ever Despite this enormous setback, UNICEF's work for children does not stop now — especially given this time of unprecedented need. Every dollar invested in humanitarian aid and development creates long-term benefits and a more stable and secure world. "UNICEF will continue to deliver," said Nyenhuis. "I remain hopeful that champions across the country — and across the political spectrum — will continue to stand with us. Children deserve nothing less." Now more than ever, we need your voice. #ForEveryChild Make your unrestricted contribution to UNICEF today.
