Al Hudaydah, Yemen. 17 March, 2017. More than forty-two Somali refugees have died and more than 30 were injured after the vessel on which they were travelling came under fire near the Bab al-Mandeb strait, off the coast of Yemen. Although the refugees’ vessel was hit in waters off the town of Al- Hodeida, the boat managed to dock in the city’s port. Bodies of Somali refugees were scattered in the vessel, before being taken ashore to the port of Al- Hodeida by Yemeni fishermen. The injured were reported to have been taken to hospital.

The Somali refugees on the boat were carrying identity documents issued by UNHCR, the UN’s refugee agency; thus the event highlight the plight of Somalia refugees whom, after having taken refuge in Yemen left the country in order to escape the deteriorating conditions in Yemen.

Although Saudi Arabia, which is leading a coalition in the war in Yemen, has US-built Apache helicopter gunships, the coalition spokesman, Major General Ahmed Assiri, has dismissed the accusation arguing that the coalition force had not been involved in the fighting in Al-Hodeida and its surrounding area.

Photo: Zaher Mohammed/IMAGESLIVE