31 Somali refugees killed in Yemen

Aden March 17 (IANS) At least 31 Somali refugees including 12 women were killed and dozens others were wounded when an Apache helicopter from the Arab coalition fired on their boat near Yemen s Mandeb Strait.

Fishermen and medical sources at the Al Hudaydah port in the Red Sea told EFE that the incident occurred on Thursday afternoon.

Most of the immigrants were coming back from Yemen and heading towards Sudan Somalia and other African countries a security source said. He added that scores of others managed to escape and were rescued after the attack.

The influx of immigrants to Yemen enroute to other countries continues despite the war which has left some 17 million Yemenis -- two-thirds of the country s population -- in need of urgent aid to avoid risk of death from hunger in the coming months.

Yemen is currently facing the deadliest starvation crisis in the world according to a United Nations assessment on food security and nutrition.

--IANS
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