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Yemeni capital mired in bloodshed as 44 bombed to death in airstrikes

Xinhua, June 7, 2015 Adjust font size:

Air strikes of the Saudi-led coalition forces killed 44 people and injured more than 100 others in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa on Sunday, the country's official Saba news agency reported.

The fighter jets bombed the headquarters of Yemen's armed forces in central Sanaa, a densely populated area, killed 44 people and injured more than 100 others, Saba reported, citing a statement from the health ministry.

The state-run Saba news agency has been under control of the Shiite Houthi group since September 2014 when the group seized Sanaa.

The rescues teams are searching people who are believed under the rubble of their houses destroyed in the air strikes, the report said.

Due to the severe shortage of medicines and medical equipment, as well as the increasing number of victims, the hospitals in Sanaa met difficulties to provide treatment for the needed, Saba said.

Yemen has been mired in political gridlock since 2011 when mass protests forced former President Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down.

Saleh and his key aides were granted immunity after he signed a Gulf-brokered power transfer deal that enabled his deputy Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to win the presidential election as the only candidate. Mansour Hadi was inaugurated as president of Yemen in February 2012.

The Gulf countries have tried to push for comprehensive peace talks between all Yemeni parties since the Houthis seized control of Sanaa in September 2014 that forced Hadi to move his administration to Yemen's southern port city of Aden.

Yemen has seen battles and air strikes since March 26 when Saudi-led coalition forces started military operations against the Houthi group and forces loyal to ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh, aiming to reinstate the legitimate government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi who is taking refuge in Riyadh.

The battles and air strikes in Yemen have left more than 1,600 people killed and about 5,000 thousands wounded, according to the health ministry, and more than one million people were displaced.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Saturday reiterated his urgent call on all Yemeni parties to engage in consultations to be held in Geneva, Switzerland, starting June 14, according to a statement issued by his spokesperson.

Ban reiterated his urgent call on all Yemeni parties to engage in these consultations in good faith and without pre-conditions in the interest of all Yemeni people.

A senior Houthi official said that the Houthi group agreed to participate in the dialogue as long as the coalition forces stop the air strikes. Endit