Yemen children among 29 casualties in Houthis' Marib attack

At least 29 people, including children, were killed or injured in an attack in the northern Yemeni city of Marib late on Sunday, according to information gathered by the humanitarian organisation Save the Children.

The attack targeted a mosque and religious school, leading to numerous casualties. The exact death toll is still unclear but a local official said at least 22 people have died. 

"Children continue to be killed across Yemen as innocent bystanders to a conflict that has claimed the lives of many, displaced even more and destroyed the country's infrastructure," Xavier Joubert, Save the Children's director, stated in a press release.

"We are speechless when facing this level of horror witnessed by civilians in Yemen," added Joubert. "The world needs to come together to make sure that civilians in Yemen do not continue to pay a heavy toll for the hostilities in the country."

October has been the deadliest month for civilians so far this year in Marib governorate, located east of the Yemeni capital Sanaa.

Since September, Marib has been at the heart of intense fighting between the government forces controlling the capital of the province and Houthi rebels seeking to seize the city.

The area witnessed more than 54 armed violence incidents this October, which resulted in over 119 casualties, including the deaths of at least five children.

In the last month alone, nearly 10,000 people were displaced in and around Marib, which already hosts over one million displaced persons.

The six-year war ongoing in Yemen has led to complete economic collapse and what the UN says is the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis. Sixteen million people now face acute food insecurity.