Suicide attacks on Yemeni mosques kill 46

Suicide bombers have blown themselves up at two mosques in the centre of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, killing at least 46 people, reports say.

Worshippers were attending noon prayers at the Badr and al-Hashoosh mosques when at least two bombers struck.

The mosques are used mainly by supporters of the Zaidi Shia-led Houthi rebel movement, which controls Sanaa.


There has been no immediate claim of responsibility, but al-Qaeda militants have carried out similar attacks.

The jihadist group’s local offshoot vowed to confront the Houthis after they overran the capital in September and began moving into predominantly Sunni central and western regions of Yemen.

The bombings in Sanaa come a day after deadly clashes in the southern city of Aden, between forces loyal to President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi and those supporting his predecessor, Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Warplanes later targeted the presidential palace in Aden, where Hadi has been based since fleeing Sanaa last month after the rebels placed him under effective house arrest.

The president, who aides said was evacuated to a “safe place” after the air raid, described Thursday’s events in Aden as a “failed military coup against constitutional legitimacy”.

Saleh was forced to hand over power to Hadi in 2011 after mass protests, but has remained a power-broker in the country. He is currently allied with the Houthis, against whom he fought wars when he was president.