Yemen: at least 20 dead at a market in Taiz – Houthis and government trade accusations

At least 20 people were killed and 15 wounded on the morning of Friday, November 6 in an attack on a market in Taiz province, in south-western Yemen. The toll was given by the Houthis. The two sides in the war are accusing each other. The Houthis say the market was hit by a Saudi air strike, while the local authorities of the internationally recognised government in Taiz attribute the attack to the Houthis themselves and say there were no air strikes in the area.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said three strikes hit the al-Khadra market, in the al-Wazi’iyah district, at about 7 a.m. He claimed the aircraft took off from Khamis Mushait air base and left the province at about 8, without giving evidence. Houthi Health Ministry spokesman Anis al-Sabahi told the Houthi TV channel al-Masirah that the death toll is expected to rise. Footage from the same channel showed smoke rising, a destroyed building with tins of food, wrecked vehicles and scattered crates of fruit.

The province’s press office acknowledged in a post that the crowded market was attacked and that there are casualties, without details. It denounced the “indiscriminate Houthi missile attacks”, including with ballistic missiles, which endanger civilians. Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Media did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The claims of both sides have not been independently verified. Friday is a day off in most of the Arab world and markets are usually very crowded.

A divided province under siege

Taiz province is divided. The Houthis control part of it, while the city, seat of the provincial administration, is held by the Riyadh-backed government and is besieged. Since September the Houthis have been pressing towards Taiz, after the capture of Mocha, and have tightened the ring around the city, where residents struggle to find water and food. In early November they reached 80 kilometres from Aden.

In October the Houthis hit a camp of government forces in Sabwa with ballistic missiles, killing at least 75 soldiers. In September they accused Saudi Arabia of striking a prison in al-Hazm, with at least 23 dead. The Yemeni government says the “Dawn of Yemen” operation neutralised 20,000 Houthis within a month.