85 killed in Yemen stampede during charity handout
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The stampede broke out during a charity distribution event in Sanaa, and the merchants behind the handout were detained pending an investigation.
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Abandoned shoes and belongings on the ground after a stampede in Sanaa, Yemen April 19, 2023. (Reuters)
According to Yemen's Ansar Allah movement, a stampede broke out during a charity handout in Yemen's capital, killing scores of people and injuring hundreds more.
According to Sanaa health authorities, at least 85 people were killed and 322 were injured in the event in Sanaa's Bab al-Yemen neighborhood on Wednesday night, just days before the Muslim Eid-al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan.
Earlier, a spokesperson for Yemen's Interior Ministry stated, "Dozens of people were killed due to a stampede during a random distribution of sums of money by some merchants."
According to the Saba news agency, the deceased and injured have been transferred to local hospitals, those responsible for the distribution have been arrested and an investigation has been launched.
Social media videos showed the deceased lying on the ground inside a big complex as people crowded around them.
The majority of the Yemeni people, over 70%, are in dire need of humanitarian help.
Yemen has been witnessing violent battles for about 8 years, due to the Saudi coalition's aggression against the country. The humanitarian situation remains difficult due to the ongoing blockade of ports imposed by the Saudi coalition forces, which limits the availability of fuel, food, and medicine.
UNICEF released figures highlighting the heinous crimes committed by the Saudi-led coalition against Yemeni children in the war on Yemen.
In February, the WHO representative in Yemen, Adham Abdel Moneim, said in a statement via the organization’s website that “Yemen needs urgent and large support from international donors and other partners, to avoid the collapse” of its healthcare system.
The situation in Yemen is dire with families struggling to find basic necessities for survival. A recent incident of a stampede during a charity event in #Sanaa resulted in multiple deaths & injuries, highlighting the harrowing conditions faced by Yemenis. #Yemen #اليمن pic.twitter.com/GofUVdIzWY
— Murad (مــراد العواسي) (@MuradAbdo22) April 19, 2023
