Yemeni rebels said Monday that a US airstrike hit a prison holding African migrants, killing at least 68 people and wounding 47 more, The Associated Press reported. The US has yet to issue an official statement on the case, Focus reports.
The attack took place in Saada province, a Houthi stronghold in northern Yemen. It is the latest tragic episode in the country's decades-long conflict, in which African migrants from Ethiopia and other countries trying to reach Saudi Arabia have often been victims of violence. The case is likely to reignite debate among human rights groups about the US military operation "Rough Rider" against the Houthi rebels, especially in the context of negotiations between the Trump administration and Iran over Tehran's nuclear program. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Monday, before the news of the strike was released, that it was deliberately limiting the disclosure of details about the operations in order to maintain operational security. "We are very deliberate in our operational approach, but we will not disclose details of what we have done or what we will do," the official CENTCOM statement said. US authorities have not yet responded to requests for comment. to local and international media regarding the alleged attack in Saada.