Saudi Air Strikes Kill 54 Civilians: Yemen Rebels

[tekisui]

Source: AFP

DUBAI — A spokesman for Shiite rebels in Yemen on Sunday accused Saudi forces of killing 54 civilians in air strikes against a border town between the two Arab countries.

There was no independent confirmation of the claim made by the spokesman, who identified himself only as Ali, in a telephone call to AFP in Dubai.

"There has been a massacre committed by the Saudis in the district of Razeh in the (northern) Saada province, this morning (Sunday)," the spokesman said.

"The town of Al-Nadheer was targeted by air strikes and 54 civilians, including women and children, were killed," he added.

"The raids have destroyed five houses ... (whose inhabitants were) unarmed civilians," the spokesman said.

He charged that Saudi forces were advancing across the borders toward the village of Zawa, also in the Saada region, adding that the Saudi army had fired "more than 200 shells" on Sunday.

Saudi forces have been fighting the Zaidi Shiite rebels, who are also known as Huthis, since November 3, after a group of them killed a Saudi border guard and occupied two small Saudi villages.

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