25 civilians killed in Saudi-led airstrike in Yemen

Sanaa June 18 (IANS) At least 25 people were killed in a Saudi-led coalition airstrike which saw a warplane bomb a popular market in Yemen s northern province of Saada media reported on Sunday.

The airstrike happened on Saturday evening and targeted al-Mashnak popular market at the centre of Shada district in Saada Xinhua quoted a Saba news agency report -- which cited an official -- as saying.

The official said the victims were customers and owners of commercial shops. A number of others were critically injured.

The agency gave no further details but said it will publish pictures of the scene later on Sunday.

Saada is the main stronghold of Shiite Houthi movement and where the group s leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi is based.

This is the latest in a series of airstrikes hitting Yemeni civilians since the war began in March 2015.

Ten days ago four members of a family were killed when Saudi-led coalition warplanes hit a house in the Yemeni capital Sanaa according to residents and medics.

Since March 2015 the coalition has been fighting the dominant Houthi rebels who have seized control of most of northern Yemen including Sanaa to restore power to the internationally recognized yet expelled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

The war has killed more than 10 000 people half of them civilians and displaced over two million others according to the United Nations humanitarian agencies.

--IANS
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