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Saudi helicopter shot down by friendly fire in Yemen

Xinhua, April 19, 2017 Adjust font size:

A Saudi-led coalition Black Hawk helicopter was shot down in Yemen by friendly fire on Tuesday, killing 12 military personnel aboard, the Yemeni Defense Ministry said Wednesday.

"The helicopter was shot down mistakenly ... as a result of a misreading of the air defense system," an unnamed spokesperson of the Defense Ministry was quoted as saying in a statement.

The coalition said the helicopter was carrying out its mission when it fell down in Marib Governorate in Yemen. All 12 officers aboard were Saudis.

Saudi Arabia is leading a mostly Arab military coalition to fight Houthi rebels in Yemen in a bid to restore President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who was ousted by Houthis in September 2014.

The war has killed more than 10,000 people, half of them civilians, and displaced over 2 millions, according to humanitarian agencies. Endi