Yemen air strikes continue in spite of Russia plea
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 5 April 2015 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Yemen air strikes continue in spite of Russia plea, 5 April 2015, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/552f9dcb15.html [accessed 29 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
April 05, 2015
By RFE/RL
Warplanes from a Saudi-led coalition bombed Yemen's capital, Sanaa, on April 5, the eleventh day of a campaign against Iran-allied Huthi forces opposed to Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
Reuters news agency cites residents as saying explosions struck bases housing army units loyal to the Huthis, while air strikes also hit areas along Yemen's border with Saudi Arabia.
The raids came despite a Russian plea to the United Nations Security Council a day earlier for a pause in air strikes to allow humanitarian aid deliveries and the evacuation of civilians.
One of two Russian planes ferrying Russian nationals and citizens of other countries out of Yemen landed at the Cairo airport on April 5 with the second plane due to land there shortly.
The press attache to the Russian Embassy in Yemen, Timofey Bokov, said some 300 people were being evacuated on the two planes.
Bokov said 70 of those were Russian citizens, "the rest are citizens of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, the majority of them are doctors and contract workers," though Bokov did say there were also some citizens from Syria, Cuba, and Egypt.
Meantime, sources say Huthi fighters have captured the provincial government headquarters in the important port city of Aden. The French news agency AFP quotes unnamed officials as saying the rebel forces advanced in the night to capture a key central district of the city.
Hadi fled Aden last week in the face of the Huthi offensive. Saudi Arabia, which borders Yemen, has vowed to continue the bombing campaign until Hadi, a Sunni, is reinstated.
The Saudi-owned Al-Hayat newspaper reported April 5 that border villages near Yemen will be razed to prevent infiltrators from using them.
The report said about villages, which were all described as being deserted, had already been demolished.
Three Saudi border guards have been shot dead by gunfire from Yemen since Riyadh launched air strikes on Huthi rebels.
Based on reporting by AFP, AP, and Reuters
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
