Houthi blames government for today’s “sectarian attack” on Ashora party

Victims of Saturday's attak on Houthi participants in Ashora party (al-Masira TV channel)

Four Houthi loyalists were killed and seven more were injured when a suicide bomb exploded among a crowd commemorating a Shiite event in the capital Sana’a, around 6pm, said security and Houthi sources.

An explosive device went off as a crowd of Shiite Houthi loyalists were leaving a hall in the capital Sana’a, commemorating the widely celebrated Shiite event of Ashora’a, security sources said.

Muhamed Miftah, Chairman of the Preparatory Committee of the Umma (Nation) party, an affiliate of the Houthi party, said that eye-witnesses also saw machine guns being fired and grenades thrown at the crowd. “So far, 11 were attacked,” said Miftah, “most of whom are seriously injured.”

Miftah accused the leadership of the interim government for the bombing. “I do hold the interim government authority responsible for what happened today,” said Miftah, “as they’re also responsible for previous bombings, including suicide bombings… fueling a sectarian war.”

Miftah said that most of those attacked were from al-Umma party and that the party was comprised of people from “all walks of Yemeni life”.
The Houthis have always accused the Islah party, now leading the interim government, of fueling a sectarian war.

The death toll is likely to increase, the security source said. Today’s bombing marks the first sectarian attack in the capital, after a series of similar attacks against the Houthis in their stronghold of northern Yemen.

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