Sanaa: A local Yemeni official said on Sunday that 49 civilians, among them 23 children and 17 women, were killed in air strikes against Al-Qaeda, which he said were carried out "indiscriminately."
Exiled southern leader Ali Salem al-Baid had accused the
Yemeni authorities of killing at least 62 civilians in
Thursday`s air strikes Sanaa said targeted an Al-Qaeda
training camp in the southern province of Abyan.
The local official from the Al-Mahfed region, which
includes the village of Al-Maajala where the strike took
place, today confirmed civilian deaths.
"The raid was carried out indiscriminately and killed 49
civilians, including 23 children and 17 women," said the
official, who did not wish to be named due to the sensitivity
of the issue.
A tribal leader from the Al-Kazam tribe too confirmed
civilian deaths.
"In total, 49 civilians were killed," he told a news agency.
"Al-Qaeda has chosen to build its training centre on land
where bedouin nomads pitch their tents, and the government
forces believe the nomads harbour Al-Qaeda forces," said the
leader, also speaking on condition of anonymity.
Yemeni government officials said the Thursday air strikes
against Al-Maajala killed 30 suspected Al-Qaeda members, and
that four Al-Qaeda members were also killed Thursday in a
ground raid in Abhar, 35 kilometers north of Sanaa.
Bureau Report
