ALBAWABA - At least 85 people were killed in a stampede in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa during the distribution of financial assistance.
Yemeni media reported that 322 others were injured in Wednesday's incident, which occurred in the Bab Al-Yemen area.
Houthi-run Ministry of Interior spokesperson Abdul-Khaleq al-Ajri described the stampede as a "tragic and painful accident."
Shocking images of the stampede that killed 78 people in #Sanaa #Yemen pic.twitter.com/OrfFNP0AUy
— Sami AL-ANSI سـامي العنسي (@SamiALANSI) April 20, 2023
He added: "Dozens of people were killed due to a large stampede of a number of citizens caused by a random distribution of sums of money by some merchants and without coordination with the Ministry of Interior."
Reuters reported that hundreds of Yemenis gathered in a school to receive financial donations of 5,000 Yemeni Riyal (about $9) days before the Eid al-Fitr holiday.
Stampede in Yemen’s ?? capital kills at least 90
— Saad Abedine (@SaadAbedine) April 20, 2023
Houthi militiamen fired into the air in an attempt at crowd control, struck an electrical wire, causing it to explode, sparking panic
That's when many including many women & children, began stampedinghttps://t.co/FhbkUDZUX0 https://t.co/PBjGKqWY3u pic.twitter.com/vVOCDFFq2P
Following the stampede, Houthi security forces imposed a security cordon around the school in Old Sanaa, where the incident took place, and banned anyone from entering the place.
Yemen's Interior Ministry said in a statement that police and rescue teams rushed to the scene to hospitalize injured people.
The statement also noted that police arrested "two merchants" in charge of the aid distribution process that killed dozens.
