Shelling by Saudi-led Militia Kills 10 African Refugees in Yemen

At least 10 African refugees have been killed and 35 others wounded after mortar shells launched by Saudi-backed militiamen targeted a district in Manba border town in Yemen’s northern province of Sa’ada.
 

According to Yemeni Arabic-language al-Masirah television network, the shells hit al-Raqo district on Wednesday.
 

Last month, Saudi forces fired artillery rounds at al-Maton district in the northern Yemeni province of al-Jawf, killing at least one African refugee and injuring three others.
 

Despite the ongoing Saudi-led military campaign and escalating humanitarian crisis in Yemen, this year has seen a spike in the number of arrivals of East African refugees and migrants to Yemen.
 

Many of these refugees and migrants intend to transit through Yemen en route to Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf countries.
 

In its latest report, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said some 84,378 East African migrants entered Yemen in the first six months of 2019, representing the highest number of arrivals since data became available in 2006.