Share
News

Iran-Backed Rebels Blamed for Deadly Airport Attack Meant To 'Eliminate' Entire Government

Share

Yemen’s prime minister on Saturday said that a missile attack on the airport in Aden was meant “to eliminate” the country’s new government as it arrived in the southern city — a daring assault which he blamed on Iran-backed rebels.

Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed spoke to The Associated Press in his first interview with international media after he survived Wednesday’s attack that killed at least 25 people and wounded 110 others.

“It’s a major terrorist attack that was meant to eliminate the government,” the premier said. “It was a message against peace and stability in Yemen.”

Saeed repeated his government’s accusations that Yemen’s Islamic Houthi rebels were responsible for the missile attack on the airport and a drone assault on Mashiq Palace, shortly after the premier and his Cabinet were transferred there.

The new Yemeni government was formed in December to end a political rift with southern separatists who are backed by the United Arab Emirates.

Saeed said that the techniques used in the airport missile attack were hallmarks of the Houthis’ strategy.

Houthi officials have denied responsibility for the attack, but sought to blame unspecified Saudi-led groups. The Islamic rebel leaders have not offered any evidence nor answered requests for comment.

The Houthis have carried out similar attacks in the past.

In 2015, former Yemeni Prime Minister Khaled Bahah and members of his Cabinet survived a missile attack, blamed on the Houthis, that struck an Aden hotel used by the government.

Do you think the Iran-backed rebels are to blame for this attack?

Last year, the Houthis fired a missile at a military parade at a base in Aden, killing dozens.

The attack on Wednesday took place moments after a plane carrying Saeed and his Cabinet members landed at the airport.

AP footage from the scene at Aden’s airport showed members of the government delegation disembarking as the blast shook the tarmac, with many ministers rushing back inside the plane or running down the stairs, seeking shelter.

Saeed said three precision-guided missiles had struck the facility, targeting his plane, the arrival hall and the VIP lounge of the airport.

“The guidance accuracy was great. The operation was huge,” he said.

Related:
Pro-Palestinian Radical Breaches Trump Secret Service Perimeter

The prime minister said Yemeni investigators have collected the remains of the missiles and that Saudi and U.S. experts would help determine the type and origins of the missiles.

Saeed and his newly formed Cabinet were returning to Yemen a week after they were sworn in before Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, where the embattled leader resides.

The conflict in the Arab world’s most impoverished nation began when the Houthis captured the capital of Sanaa in 2014, forcing Hadi’s government to flee.

The following year, a Saudi-led coalition intervened against the Iran-backed rebels in what has turned into a stalemated war.

Since then, more than 112,000 people — both fighters and civilians — have been killed.

Aden’s airport is expected to reopen Sunday, Transportation Minister Abdel-Salam Hamied announced while visiting the facility.


[jwplayer C7gFxbEt]

The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.

Truth and Accuracy

Submit a Correction →



We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

Tags:
, , , , , , ,
Share
The Associated Press is an independent, not-for-profit news cooperative headquartered in New York City. Their teams in over 100 countries tell the world’s stories, from breaking news to investigative reporting. They provide content and services to help engage audiences worldwide, working with companies of all types, from broadcasters to brands. Photo credit: @AP on Twitter
The Associated Press was the first private sector organization in the U.S. to operate on a national scale. Over the past 170 years, they have been first to inform the world of many of history's most important moments, from the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the bombing of Pearl Harbor to the fall of the Shah of Iran and the death of Pope John Paul.

Today, they operate in 263 locations in more than 100 countries relaying breaking news, covering war and conflict and producing enterprise reports that tell the world's stories.
Location
New York City




Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.

Conversation