Houthi shelling kills 3 civilians in central Yemen

ADEN, Yemen

At least three civilians were killed when shelling by Houthi rebels hit settlements in central Yemen, local sources said Friday.

The fatalities include a woman and two children, while many others were injured during the shelling in the province of al-Bayda.

The shelling came a week after the Saudi-led coalition announced a two-week ceasefire in Yemen with the possibility of extension in a move to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The conflicting parties in Yemen, however, accused each other of violating the ceasefire.

The virus has killed more than 150,000 worldwide.

Yemen has so far registered one coronavirus case.

The country has been beset by violence and chaos since 2014, when Iranian-backed Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including the capital Sanaa.

The crisis escalated in 2015 when a Saudi-led military coalition launched a devastating air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi territorial gains.

Tens of thousands of Yemenis, including civilians, are believed to have been killed in the conflict, which has led to the world’s worst humanitarian crisis as millions remain at risk of starvation.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz