At Least 20 Casualties in Airstrike on Doctors Without Borders Hospital in Yemen
A Saudi-led coalition airstrike hit a Medecins Sans Frontieres hospital in Yemen’s northern Hajja province on Monday, Reuters reports. At least seven people were killed and 13 wounded. MSF confirmed the attack in a statement to Gawker:
Abs hospital, which is supported by Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in northwestern Yemen’s Hajjah governorate, was hit by airstrikes today at 15:45 local time. MSF is currently assessing the situation to ensure the safety of patients and staff. Medical teams are assisting the wounded, and the number of casualties is still unknown.
According to Reuters, medics were not able to immediately evacuate the wounded, as warplanes continued to circle the area.
Yemen has been embroiled in a civil war since Shiite rebels took control of the capital, Sanaa, in September 2014. The Saudi-led coalition, backing the government, commenced airstrikes in March 2015. The United States has quietly provided the pro-government coalition with intelligence and logistical support, the New York Times reported earlier this year.
“Abs hospital has been supported by MSF since July 2015,” the international aid organization said in its statement. “Since then, 4,611 patients have been treated at the facility.”