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Today's Paper | December 23, 2024

Updated 24 Sep, 2015 05:09pm

At least 25 killed in Yemen during Eid prayers

SANAA: Two suicide bombers blew themselves up at a mosque run by Houthi rebels in Sanaa on Thursday during Eidul Azha prayers, witnesses said.

The Houthis Ansarullah group's website said at least 10 people were killed in the attack. Medics, however, claim the attack killed at least 25 people and wounded dozens more.

The blast happened in the Balili mosque where Houthi rebels go to pray, witnesses say.

Witnesses reported that after a first blast inside the mosque, a suicide bomber detonated an explosives belt at the entrance as worshippers rushed outside.

The self-styled Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for the bombing.

The Yemeni capital has been shaken by a string of bombings of Shia mosques in recent months claimed by the self-styled Islamic State group.

The Houthi rebels have seized several regions of Yemen including Sanaa which they overran a year ago.

Pro-government forces backed by Saudi-led air strikes have recently managed to wrest back some southern provinces, including Yemen's second city of Aden.

IS and the Yemen-based branch of its rival Al Qaeda have exploited the turmoil to boost their activities in the impoverished country.

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