TEN KILLED IN ADEN AIRPORT ATTACK AS PLANE CARRYING NEW CABINET LANDS (VIDEOS)

Wed 30 December 2020:

A large explosion has struck the airport in the southern Yemeni city of Aden as a plane carrying the newly formed Cabinet landed there, security officials said.

At least ten people were killed and dozens more were wounded in the attack, medical sources said. officials at the scene said they have seen bodies lying on the tarmac and elsewhere at the airport.

The source of the blast was not immediately clear. Loud blasts and gunfire were heard at the airport shortly after the plane arrived, witnesses said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to talk to the media.

A local security source said three mortar shells landed on the airport’s hall.

The cabinet members including Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik, as well as Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mohammed Said al-Jaber, were transferred safely to the city’s presidential palace.

“We and the members of the government are in the temporary capital of Aden and everyone is fine,” Maeen tweeted from Maasheq palace. “The cowardly terrorist act that targeted Aden airport is part of the war that is being waged against the Yemeni state and its great people.”

The ministers, headed by Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed, were returning to Aden after being sworn in last week as part of a reshuffle following a deal with rival southern separatists. Yemen’s internationally recognised government has worked mostly from self-imposed exile in the Saudi capital of Riyadh during the country’s years-long civil war.

Yemen’s embattled President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, in exile in Saudi Arabia, announced a Cabinet reshuffle earlier this month.

Dead and wounded in an explosion targeting the arrival hall at #Aden airport during the arrival of the new Yemeni government pic.twitter.com/dsRAJ4qDXw

— Hussein 2 🇱🇧 (@HusseinS1010) December 30, 2020

The reshuffle was seen as a major step toward closing a dangerous rift between his internationally recognised government and southern separatists backed by the United Arab Emirates.

Martin Griffiths, the UN Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, condemned the airport attack, calling it an unacceptable act of violence.

An attack targeting the new Yemeni government after its arrival at Aden airport
Al Sharq, Al Sharq News, Aden Explosion pic.twitter.com/Q3yPWQIl9y

— Fla⚡h – News (Middle East) (@FlashdotNews) December 30, 2020

Watch: An explosion rocks #Aden Airport in #Yemen followed by gunfire, killing at least five people and leaving dozens more wounded, according to a local security source.https://t.co/rP1vDSnylo pic.twitter.com/1d0mIWUkL0

— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) December 30, 2020

#ULTIMAHORA #Yemen #Aden

Otras fuentes indican que un dron podría estar detrás de la explosión.#تفجير_مطار_عدن
pic.twitter.com/tuHwQCB5aR

— Essa Younes عيسى 🇦🇪🇪🇸 (@Essa_Younes) December 30, 2020

“I strongly condemn the attack at Aden airport upon the Cabinet’s arrival and the killing and injury of many innocent civilians. My sincere condolences and solidarity to all who lost loved ones,” he said via Twitter.

“I wish the Cabinet strength in facing the difficult tasks ahead. This unacceptable act of violence is a tragic reminder of the importance of bringing Yemen urgently back on the path towards peace,” he added.