Twin suicide bombings rock mosque in Yemen's capital during Eid prayers

Two suicide bombings rocked a mosque during Eid al-Adha prayers in Yemen's capital of Sanaa on Wednesday morning, killing about 30 people and injuring scores of others, a security official told Xinhua.

"Two suicide bombers blew themselves up inside the al-Blaili mosque, killing about 30 people and injuring scores of others at the scene," the local security source said on condition of anonymity.

Witnesses said that the suicide bombings took place early morning in downtown Sanaa near police headquarters when worshipers were coming out of the mosque after Eid al-Adha prayers.

The death toll might rise as many of the wounded were listed in critical condition, medical officials said.

So far no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but security sources blamed the Islamic State (IS).

Al-Qaida and the IS have intensified their attacks against the Shiite Houthi group since the Houthis started to advance into the southern regions, where the terrorist groups are active.

They have conducted a series of suicide attacks in Sanaa since early this year that killed more than 100 people.

Security worsened dramatically in Yemen since March when war erupted in several provinces in the country's southern and northern regions after President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi was forced to take refuge in Saudi Arabia by the Shiite Houthi group.

Saudi-backed government forces have recently launched several military campaigns against Houthi fighters in an attempt to drive them out of the territory under their control.

In the past four days alone, more than 236 civilians have been killed in airstrikes conducted by a Saudi-led coalition against the Houthi rebels, Yemen's Saba news agency reported.

Hundreds of others were wounded and many public and private properties destroyed in the air raids, it said.

The United Nations said more than 4,500 people had been killed in Yemen since March, including around 400 children. Endit