A tragic event occurred in Sanaa, the capital of Yemen, on Wednesday, April 19. It is estimated that 80 people were killed in a stampede during a celebration to observe the end of Ramadan.
These individuals were impoverished and had gathered to receive aid when shots were heard, resulting in a frenzied panic. Videos of the aftermath of the misfortune circulated on social media.
A Houthi official reported that more than 300 people, including women and children, were injured in the stampede. The nation’s interior ministry declared the event as “unstructured financial aid from some merchants without coordination from the Ministry of Interior,” Those who died or were hurt were taken to hospitals.
Two of the merchants responsible for the tragedy have been locked up. It is speculated that Houthis released their weapons into the air as an attempt to control the crowd, but the rounds struck an electrical wire, resulting in an explosion that provoked greater fear.
Houthi rebels were said to have blocked the school off to journalists. Sanaa has been under control of the Houthi rebels since 2014. The ensuing conflict has caused more than 100,000 deaths, making it one of the most significant humanitarian crises in the world, according to the United Nations.