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| Ansar Allah Houthi Media Office via AP |
According to witnesses and Houthi rebel officials, a crowd frightened by gunfire and an electrical explosion stampeded at an event to distribute financial aid during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Yemen's capital late Wednesday, killing at least 78 people and injuring at least 73 others.
The disaster was the bloodiest in years unrelated to Yemen's long-running conflict, and it occurred just before the Muslim festival of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the conclusion of Ramadan later this week.
According to two witnesses, Abdel-Rahman Ahmed and Yahia Mohsen, armed Houthis shot into the air to contain the crowd, allegedly striking an electrical line and causing it to explode. According to them, this caused panic, and people, including many women and children, began stampeding.
According to the rebels' Al-Masirah satellite TV program, Motaher al-Marouni, a top health official, 78 persons were murdered. According to hospital deputy director Hamdan Bagheri, at least 73 people were injured and brought to al-Thowra Hospital in Sanaa.
The insurgents promptly cordoned off a school where the ceremony was being hosted and banned others from coming, including journalists.
The Interior Ministry stated that two organizers had been detained and an inquiry was underway.
The Houthis stated they would give $2,000 (R 36 000) to each family who lost a relative and $400 (R7,200) to those injured.
Since the Houthis descended from their northern stronghold in 2014 and deposed the internationally recognized government, Yemen's capital has been under their control.
In 2015, a Saudi-led coalition intervened to try to reinstall the government.
In recent years, the battle has devolved into a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran, killing over 150,000 militants and civilians and causing one of the world's biggest humanitarian crises.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, more than 21 million Yemenis, or two-thirds of the country's population, require assistance and protection. More than 17 million people are deemed highly vulnerable among those in need.
The United Nations said in February that it had received just $1.2 (R2.1) billion out of a target of $4.3 (R7.7) billion at a conference to raise funding to alleviate the humanitarian situation.
