Monday 20 April 2015

20th April 2015, huge bomb dropped on Mount Attan in Yemen, killing and injuring residents of Sanaa and destroying homes and businesses

On the 20th April 2015, the Saudi led coalition airstrikes hit Mount Attan in Sana'a targeting weapons storage. The blast was so large that its impact was felt across the town of Sana'a, damaging homes, businesses and cars for miles around. It is believed up to 39 people died and up to 574 were injured (including women and children) in the blast and many were forced to flee as residents described that they felt like they had been hit by something similar to an earthquake or a strong tornado.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/04/20/uk-yemen-security-idUKKBN0NB0QW20150420

Médecins Sans Frontières reported:

On 20 April a huge explosion in south-west Sana’a caused 574 injuries and 39 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health. The injured were received by at least 10 hospitals in Sana'a, three of which were supported by MSF with donations of dressing kits, drugs and medical supplies. Psychological support for victims was also provided at one of these hospitals, and 1,000 litres of fuel was donated to another.
http://www.msf.org/article/yemen-crisis-update-%E2%80%93-27-april-0
 

Action on Armed Violence reported:
The incident that resulted in the largest recorded number of civilian deaths and injuries from aeriel explosive weapons took place in Sana'a on 20 April 2015. An air strike at approximately 10.30 am in the morning hit an alleged mountainside missile depot in the western district of Faj Attan. Residents described the blast like an earthquake.

AOAV recoreded a total of 25 civilian deaths and injuries in the Faj Attan bombing. Although the air strike was reportedly at a military target the force and fallout of the explosion was felt across many populated areas of the capital.

Residential homes near the site were flattened. The shockwaves were felt up to four miles away, and the local Red Cross workers reported that civilian casualties were spread throughout the city as windows were shattered and debris was scattered across Sana'a. Resident Osamah al-Fakih, recalling the aftermath, said:

"The moment the missile base at Faj Attan exploded last week was terrifying. The shelling and bombardment that preceded it was usual. I was in my apartment getting ready to go out, when the room started shaking, like an earthquake. Frozen, I was genuinely worried that the building would collapse. Then the explosion - shattering all the windows and leaving broken glass in its wake, It took me a couple of minutes to realise what had happened. I took my mobile phone to answer calls and checked in with my family and friends. The most painful call was the one I made to my sister. While speaking to her I could hear my two-year-old nephew crying out in fear and screaming 'Mama, Mama,' his voice is still resonating in my head as each shell goes off."
http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/State-of-Crisis.pdf

Amnesty International reported:

One of the survivors of an airstrike that took place on Faj ‘Attan, on the outskirts of Sana’a on 20 April, told Amnesty International that his relatives, a couple and their eight-year-old son died after their apartment block collapsed under heavy rocks that fell from a nearby mountain struck by a rocket. The rocket had targeted the Republican Guard military base on the top of Faj ‘Attan Mountain. The couple’s 12-year-old daughter, who was standing outside of the house at the time, survived.
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2015/04/yemen-investigate-relentless-airstrikes-that-have-left-hundreds-of-civilians-dead/


 




 

The following report of the incident is by the Legal Center for Rights and Development:











This is Mwatana's report of the incident: 

Ref: 15042001
On the 20th April 2015, the Saudi led coalition airstrikes hit Mount Attan in Sana'a targeting weapons storage. The blast was so large that its impact was felt across the town of Sana'a, damaging homes, businesses and cars for miles around. It is believed up to 39 people died and up to 574 were injured (including women and children) in the blast and many were forced to flee as residents described that they felt like they had been hit by something similar to an earthquake or a strong tornado.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/04/20/uk-yemen-security-idUKKBN0NB0QW20150420

Médecins Sans Frontières reported:

On 20 April a huge explosion in south-west Sana’a caused 574 injuries and 39 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health. The injured were received by at least 10 hospitals in Sana'a, three of which were supported by MSF with donations of dressing kits, drugs and medical supplies. Psychological support for victims was also provided at one of these hospitals, and 1,000 litres of fuel was donated to another.
http://www.msf.org/article/yemen-crisis-update-%E2%80%93-27-april-0
 

Action on Armed Violence reported:
The incident that resulted in the largest recorded number of civilian deaths and injuries from aeriel explosive weapons took place in Sana'a on 20 April 2014. An air strike at approximately 10.30 am in the morning hit an alleged mountainside missile depot in the western district of Faj Attan. Residents described the blast like an earthquake.

AOAV recoreded a total of 25 civilian deaths and injuries in the Faj Attan bombing. Although the air strike was reportedly at a military target the force and fallout of the explosion was felt across many populated areas of the capital.

Residential homes near the site were flattened. The shockwaves were felt up to four miles away, and the local Red Cross workers reported that civilian casualties were spread throughout the city as windows were shattered and debris was scattered across Sana'a. Resident Osamah al-Fakih, recalling the aftermath, said:

"The moment the missile base at Faj Attan exploded last week was terrifying. The shelling and bombardment that preceded it was usual. I was in my apartment getting ready to go out, when the room started shaking, like an earthquake. Frozen, I was genuinely worried that the building would collapse. Then the explosion - shattering all the windows and leaving broken glass in its wake, It took me a couple of minutes to realise what had happened. I took my mobile phone to answer calls and checked in with my family and friends. The most painful call was the one I made to my sister. While speaking to her I could hear my two-year-old nephew crying out in fear and screaming 'Mama, Mama,' his voice is still resonating in my head as each shell goes off."
http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/State-of-Crisis.pdf

Amnesty International reported:

One of the survivors of an airstrike that took place on Faj ‘Attan, on the outskirts of Sana’a on 20 April, told Amnesty International that his relatives, a couple and their eight-year-old son died after their apartment block collapsed under heavy rocks that fell from a nearby mountain struck by a rocket. The rocket had targeted the Republican Guard military base on the top of Faj ‘Attan Mountain. The couple’s 12-year-old daughter, who was standing outside of the house at the time, survived.
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2015/04/yemen-investigate-relentless-airstrikes-that-have-left-hundreds-of-civilians-dead/


 



 

The following report of the incident is by the Legal Center for Rights and Development:











This is Mwatana's report of the incident: 

Ref: 15042001

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