Mortar shells kill 4 Yemenis in Hodeidah

Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-16 01:24:04|Editor: yan
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ADEN, Yemen, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- At least four Yemeni people were killed when mortar shells targeted their house in the Red Sea coast city of Hodeidah on Saturday, a security official told Xinhua.

"Mortar shells fired by the Houthi rebels landed randomly on a residential area in Hodeidah, killing four civilians including children inside their house," the local security source said on condition of anonymity.

He said that areas recently captured by government forces are the prime target for Houthis in Hodeidah and witnessed similar incidents.

The shelling using mortar rounds and artillery weapons occur in a daily basis in Hodeidah province, according to the source.

Some of the international organizations operating in Hodeidah provide treatment for injured Yemenis who are unable to afford high costs of medical care.

On June 13, the Arab coalition, backing internationally-recognized government of Yemen's President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, declared a major assault to recapture Hodeidah and the Yemeni western Red Sea coast from the Houthis.

Yemen's government and Saudi Arabia have repeatedly accused the Houthis of using the port to smuggle Iranian weapons. Both Houthis and Iran denied the accusation.

Humanitarian agencies have warned of any attack on the port, saying it would lead to the world's biggest humanitarian catastrophe in modern history.

Hodeidah is the single most important point of entry for food and basic supplies to Yemen's northern provinces controlled by Houthis, including the capital Sanaa.

Thousands of families have fled the war-torn city of Hodeidah and other parts of the province since June, seeking shelter in neighboring provinces controlled by the government.

The coalition intervened in Yemen's conflict in March 2015 to roll back Iran-allied Shiite Houthi rebels and reinstate Hadi.

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