Jump to content

2020 Aden airport attack

Coordinates: 12°49′32″N 45°02′11″E / 12.82556°N 45.03639°E / 12.82556; 45.03639
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Kris159 (talk | contribs) at 18:51, 31 December 2020. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

2020 Aden attacks
Part of the Yemeni Civil War (2014–present)
Map
LocationAden, Aden Governorate, Yemen
Coordinates12°49′32″N 45°02′11″E / 12.82556°N 45.03639°E / 12.82556; 45.03639
Date30 December 2020
TargetAden International Airport
Attack type
Bombings
Mass shooting
Deaths25
Injured110
PerpetratorUnknown[a]

On 30 December 2020, a plane carrying members of the newly formed Yemeni government landed at Aden International Airport in the southwest of Yemen. As passengers disembarked, there were explosions and gunfire, leaving at least 25 people dead and 110 others injured.[3][4]

None of the passengers that were aboard the plane were hurt in the attack on the airport, and the Yemeni cabinet members were quickly transported to Mashiq Palace for safety.[5] The palace was later also reported to be the target of an attack.[5]

Background

In order to deal with the infighting between the Yemeni government forces and those of the secessionist Southern Transitional Council, a new cabinet was formed with the backing of neighbouring Saudi Arabia.[6][7] The formation of the new unity government, which includes equal numbers of representatives from each region of Yemen's northern and southern areas, was the result of over a year's worth of intense negotiations mediated by the Saudis, and was meant to end the infighting so that the two sides could fight together against the Houthi rebels in the ongoing civil war.[6][8][9]

Although the Yemeni government had been based in the temporary capital city of Aden after the Houthi rebels took control of the capital city Sanaa, its recent operations had usually been conducted while in exile in Saudi Arabia, since the Southern Transitional Council had seized Aden over a year earlier and forced the government out.[7][10][8]

After the new 24-member cabinet was announced earlier in December, the new unity government, led by Prime Minister Saeed, was sworn in by President Hadi on 26 December 2020 in Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh.[11][12]

The newly formed and internationally recognized government had planned to televise its return from Saudi Arabia to Yemen, to signal to its citizens that their worries were going to be addressed.[13][7] The event was also meant to mark the successful result of the lengthy negotiations.[8]

Attacks

On 30 December 2020, a Yemenia plane flew from Saudi Arabia to the port city of Aden in southwestern Yemen, carrying members of the newly formed Yemeni government, including the prime minister, as well as the Saudi ambassador to Yemen.[4][14][b] The airport hall was crowded with local officials as well as civilians hoping to greet the members of the new cabinet.[9] Hundreds of people had gathered on the tarmac outside.[8]

As the passengers disembarked, massive explosions were heard.[4][c] A local security source had reported that "three mortar shells had landed on the airport's hall", while Yemeni Communication Minister Naguib al-Awg, who was among those flown in, has suggested they were drone strikes, and a spokesperson for the chairman of the Southern Transitional Council believed they were missiles.[3][5][14] The Telegraph has reported that analysis of the explosion footage showed one explosion occurring on the north side of the airport terminal, and the second occurring around 30 seconds later about 20 metres (70 ft) away.[15]

The explosions sent the crowd of hundreds scrambling for cover, with the disembarking ministers either running back up into the plane or down the stairs to find shelter.[8][16] Gunfire then erupted from armoured vehicles.[3] Bodies lying on the tarmac and elsewhere at the airport were seen after the attack as thick plumes of black and white smoke emanated from the airport terminal.[5][3][4]

At least 25 people were killed and 110 others were injured, with at least 33 wounded seriously enough to require major surgery.[5][14] The casualties included aid workers as well as government officials.[7][3][8] Three members of the International Committee of the Red Cross were killed, including two Yemenis and one Rwandan; three others were wounded, with one seriously so.[8][17] Officials also reported that a deputy minister of public works had been killed, while it was also reported that a deputy minister of youth and sport as well as a deputy transport minister were amongst those injured.[2][7][d] Also among the dead was a reporter of Belqees, a Yemeni television news channel, who was reporting live from the airport when his connection went silent.[18][5] Yemeni information minister Moammer al-Iryani also reported that at least ten other journalists had also been wounded.[7][10][5]

Most of the casualties were reportedly civilians and airport staff, with The Times reporting that all casualties had occurred within the terminal.[9][15][19] However, all passengers that were aboard the plane remained unharmed.[5] The cabinet members, as well as the Saudi ambassador, were quickly taken to Mashiq Palace, the presidential palace in Aden, for safety.[6][5]

Another blast was heard about four hours later around Mashiq Palace.[1][5][13][15] No casualties as a result of the later explosion were reported.[13] Saudi-owned news channel Al Arabiya reported that an "explosive-laden drone" had been intercepted and destroyed nearby.[20]

Aftermath

Yemen's Foreign Minister Ahmad Awad bin Mubarak initially blamed the Houthis for the attack, and stated that four ballistic missiles had been fired at the airport, but made the statement without providing evidence, and the rebels denied responsibility.[5][2] The Southern Transitional Council blamed Qatar and Turkey, while Western officials stated that it was likely the work of Houthi rebels, but had not ruled out al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) or dissatisfied southern separatist factions.[2][e] President Hadi has directed the military to investigate the attack.[8]

Communication Minister Naguib al-Awg insisted that the plane had been the original target of the attacks, as the plane had landed later than previously planned.[1]

The next day, a Saudi-led coalition conducted air strikes on Sanaa, the Houthi-held capital, apparently in retaliation for the previous day's attacks, which it had blamed on the Houthis.[22][23] Warplanes carried out attacks over several hours, striking the airport as well as other areas of the city.[23] Houthi-owned television channel al-Masirah reported that fifteen different locations had been hit in various districts of the city.[22] Casualties had not been reported.[22][23]

Reactions

UN Secretary-General António Guterres "condemn[ed] the deplorable attack" on the airport, and offered condolences to the victims' families as well as the Yemeni government and its people, as reported by his special envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths.[24][25]

A number of Arab and Western nations, including Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States, all condemned the airport attack.[5][1][14]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The Houthi rebels were accused of the attack, but denied responsibility.[1] Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula was also suspected.[2]
  2. ^ President Hadi, who has been living in Riyadh after the Houthi rebels took control of Sanaa, was not aboard.[6][8]
  3. ^ There are conflicting reports regarding how many explosions there were, with reports ranging from two to four.[5][7]
  4. ^ It has also been reported that a government official referred to as "deputy minister of housing" or "undersecretary at the labour ministry" has been killed, but it is unclear if this person is the same as the deputy minister of public works.[15][7] The New York Times, however, stated that it was the deputy transport minister who was reported dead.[10]
  5. ^ Three weeks before, AQAP militants had been suspected of killing five south Yemen separatists in what was believed to be their most significant attack in the region in months.[21]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Yemen's PM condemns 'treacherous, cowardly' Aden airport attack". Al Jazeera English. 30 December 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d Malsin, Jared; al-Batati, Saleh (30 December 2020). "Yemen Airport Attack Kills 22 as New Saudi-Backed Government Arrives". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e Mukhashaf, Mohammed (30 December 2020). "Twenty-two killed in attack on Aden airport after new Yemen cabinet lands". Reuters. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d McKernan, Bethan (30 December 2020). "Aden airport blasts kill 26 in attack 'directed at Yemen government'". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Al-Haj, Ahmed; Magdy, Samy (30 December 2020). "Yemeni officials: Blast at Aden airport kills 25, wounds 110". Associated Press. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  6. ^ a b c d "Blasts hit Yemen's Aden airport as new unity government arrives". Al Jazeera English. 30 December 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h "Yemen war: Deadly attack at Aden airport as new government arrives". BBC News. 31 December 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Deadly Explosion Rocks Yemeni Airport Just As New Government Members Land". NPR. 30 December 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  9. ^ a b c Al-Batati, Saeed (30 December 2020). "27 dead, dozens wounded in deadly attack on Aden airport". Arab News. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  10. ^ a b c Al-Batati, Saeed; Yee, Vivian (30 December 2020). "Yemen Airport Is Attacked as New Government Arrives". The New York Times. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  11. ^ "New Yemen gov't sworn in after Saudi-brokered power-sharing deal". Al Jazeera English. 26 December 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  12. ^ Al-Batati, Saeed (26 December 2020). "Yemen's new government sworn in, ending months of wrangling". Arab News. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  13. ^ a b c "Yemen: Deadly blast as new government arrives at Aden airport". Deutsche Welle. 30 December 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  14. ^ a b c d Al-Mujahed, Ali; Raghavan, Sudarsan (30 December 2020). "Explosions rock Aden airport, killing at least 22, as new Yemen government arrives". The Washington Post. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  15. ^ a b c d Cheeseman, Abbie (30 December 2020). "Explosions greet new 'unity' government at key Yemen airport". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  16. ^ "Yemeni officials say blast at Aden airport kills 25, wounds 110". CBC News. Associated Press. 30 December 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  17. ^ "Yemen: 3 ICRC staff members killed in airport blast" (Press release). International Committee of the Red Cross. 30 December 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  18. ^ "Explosions and gunfire rock airport in Yemen". Nine.com.au. 31 December 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  19. ^ Spencer, Richard (30 December 2020). "Attack on Yemen airport kills 25". The Times. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  20. ^ Taha, Rawad (30 December 2020). "Yemeni military intercepts explosive-laden drone near Aden's presidential palace". Al Arabiya English. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  21. ^ Suspected al-Qaeda gunmen kill five south Yemen separatists
  22. ^ a b c https://www.dw.com/en/yemen-saudi-led-coalition-strikes-capital-after-aden-attacks/a-56104495
  23. ^ a b c https://www.reuters.com/article/yemen-security-attacks-int/saudi-led-coalition-strikes-at-yemen-capital-after-attacks-on-aden-blamed-on-houthis-idUSKBN2950X6
  24. ^ @OSE_Yemen (30 December 2020). "UN Secretary-General @antonioguterres condemns the deplorable attack on #Aden airport shortly after the arrival of the newly formed Yemeni cabinet" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  25. ^ https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/12/1081132
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2020_Aden_airport_attack&oldid=997484003"