142 Dead in Yemen Mosque Bombings
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SUBSCRIPTION SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 2015 JAMADA ALTAHANI 1, 1436 AH No: 16466 Kuwait covers 600 Indian Real draw kidney transplant students Atletico as PSG costs of Syrian2 girl expelled11 defy45 Barca 142 dead in Yemen Min 18º 150 Fils mosque bombings Max 25º Islamic State claims responsibility for attacks SANAA: Multiple suicide bombings claimed by the Islamic State group killed at least 142 people yesterday at Shiite mosques in Yemen’s capital - one of the strife-torn country’s deadliest ever jihadist attacks. The killings were the first claimed by IS in Yemen and represent a strong show of force by the group in a country where rival Al-Qaeda is the most prominent jihadist organization. Charred bodies and pools of blood were seen at the scene of the blasts, which targeted supporters of the Houthi Shiite militia that has seized control of the capital Sanaa. Worshippers rushed the wounded to hospitals in pick-up trucks, while others evacuated mutilated bodies. One suicide bomber struck inside Badr mosque in southern Sanaa while another targeted worshippers as they fled outside, witnesses said. A third suicide bomber targeted Al-Hashush mosque in northern Sanaa, while a fourth struck outside the mosque, according to the Saba news agency, which is now controlled by the Houthis. Nashwan Al-Atab, a member of the health ministry’s opera- tions committee, told AFP that 142 people were killed and at least 351 were wounded. Houthi TV said hospitals had made urgent appeals for blood donations. The imam of the Badr mosque was among the dead, a medical source said. Another sui- cide bomber blew himself up outside a mosque in the northern Houthi stronghold of Saada, a source close to the militia said. SANAA: People stand amid bodies covered with blankets in a mosque after a suicide attack during Friday prayers yesterday. — AP Only the assailant was killed in that explosion, and tight security at the mosque prevented the bomber from going inside, the source added. In an online statement, the Sanaa branch of IS said the attacks Eclipse thrills sky gazers were “just the tip of the iceberg”. “Infidel Houthis should know that the soldiers of the Islamic State will not rest until they eradi- LONGYEARBYEN: Thousands of people flocked for a glimpse teacher from the Danish city of Aarhus told AFP. “We saw cate them... and cut off the arm of the Safavid (Iranian) plan in of the solar eclipse yesterday, with the most intrepid enthusi- Baily’s beads,” he said, referring to a light show caused by the Yemen,” the statement said. The Houthis are accused of receiving asts swooning over spectacular sights in a frozen Arctic archi- moon’s rugged surface allowing sunlight to shine through in support from Iran. IS, a radical Sunni organization, considers pelago and aboard a plane above remote Nordic islands. A some places during a total eclipse. “It was beautiful, it was Shiites to be heretics. The Houthis overran Sanaa in September group of 50 die-hard Danish eclipse watchers paid 15,800 awesome,” he added, with almost spiritual reverence. and have since tightened their grip on power. Their attempts to kroner each ($2,261) to watch the event miles above the The Faroe Islands and Norway’s Arctic Svalbard archipela- extend their control into other areas have been met by deadly Faroe Islands from a Boeing 737 chartered by a science maga- go were the only places on Earth where the less than three- resistance from Sunni tribes and Al-Qaeda, which is the target of zine. minute total eclipse was visible yesterday. “We had clouds... a long-standing US drone strike campaign. “It was so beautiful, I think it was the most beautiful solar but it was still fantastic,” said Ole J. Knudsen, an astrophysicist The United States condemned the mosque bombings but said eclipse I’ve ever seen,” John Valentin Mikkelsen, a 63-year-old from Denmark’s Aarhus University, who watched from hills it could not confirm the veracity of the IS claim of responsibility. high above the Faroes’ capital Torshavn. “For 20 to 30 sec- “We deplore the brutality of the terrorists who perpetrated onds the sky was covered and it became dark and there was a today’s unprovoked attack on Yemeni citizens, who were peace- collective shock that you could hear from all the spectators,” fully engaged in Friday prayers,” White House spokesman Josh he said. More than 8,000 tourists had gathered in the Faroes, Earnest said. But there is not, as yet, a “clear operational” link a Danish autonomous territory in the North Atlantic. between Yemeni extremists and the Islamic State in Syria and The views were equally breathtaking in remote Svalbard’s Iraq, he added. main town Longyearbyen, where the population of 2,000 had Yemen has descended into chaos since the 2012 ouster of tripled ahead of the event. To a soundtrack of yelping sled longtime strongman Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has been accused dogs, Kathy Biersdorff, from Calgary, Canada, and her com- of backing the Houthis. Yesterday’s blasts came a day after clash- panions gleefully yelled the names of the eclipse phenomena es between forces loyal to President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi into the bracing -20 Celsius morning air. “Crescent shadows! and those allied with the Houthis in the southern city of Aden. Diamond ring! Chromosphere! Moon’s shadow!” they yelled. Since fleeing to Aden last month, President Hadi has been strug- “Oh man... this is so amazing! I’ve never seen so many phe- gling to reassert his authority, and violence has erupted there in nomena during an eclipse,” she gushed. When the sun re- recent days between forces loyal to him and to the Houthis. emerged from behind the dark side of the moon, a huge roar A security official said yesterday a top Yemeni officer linked to resounded from the crowd and some gazers began scram- the Houthis had escaped an assassination bid near Aden A total solar eclipse is seen from Svalbard, Norway yes- bling back inside nearby busses and a warming tent serving overnight. Four people were killed in an ambush on the Lahj-Taiz terday. — AP steaming cups of hot chocolate. — AFP road, but General Abdel Hafedh Al-Sakkaf, the special forces chief in Aden, escaped unharmed, said the official from Lahj. — AFP LOCAL SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 2015 90% of Kuwait II pledges honored ‘Extraordinary support’ for refugees lauded NEW YORK/BRUSSELS: Ninety percent of pledges at Kuwait’s donors confer- ence for Syrian people, held in January President of the Mexican Senate Miguel Barbosa Huerta is 2014, were honored, said Kuwait’s per- seen with the Arab delegation during the meeting. manent representative to the UN Mansour Al-Otaibi, describing the per- Mexico seeks stronger centage as ‘very high.’ He said the pledges delivered ties with Arab states exceeded $2 billion, out of $2.4 billion committed during the Second KUWAIT: President of the Mexican Senate Miguel Barbosa International Pledging Conference for Huerta expressed aspiration to stronger parliamentary rela- the Syrian people. Kuwait hosted the tions with Arab states including Kuwait, according to a state- first conference in January 2013 and ment released by the Kuwaiti embassy. pledges amounted to $1.5 billion. Kuwait’s Ambassador to Mexico Sameeh Johar Hayat quot- Kuwait contributed $300 million in the ed the chief senator as expressing these sentiments during a first conference and $500 million in the meeting yesterday, which discussed preparations for the Arab second. Cultural Week, due on April 6th. The ceremony, to be chaired Kuwait is set to host the third confer- by Kuwait, will be held to mark the Arab League’s 70th anniver- ence on March 31 with the UN seeking sary. Ambassador Hayat said Huerta expressed aspiration for Kuwait’s permanent representative to the UN Mansour Al-Otaibi to collect billions of dollars to honor further deepening of the parliamentary relations with the Arab states as well as boosting coordination between the two sides growing needs of some 12.5 million quite unprecedented,” he added.The Plan will be launched in the regional at international quarters. The Arab event ceremony is to be Syrian people, either internally dis- 3RP is dedicated to Syrian refugees in funding conference in Kuwait and noted held at headquarters of the Mexican Foreign Ministry. — KUNA placed or living as refugees in neighbor- five neighboring countries - Lebanon, that Lebanon is part of 3RP. “The appeal ing countries. Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt, while the will be for $2 billion which includes $1.9 “The humanitarian conditions are Syrian Response Plan is for over 6.5 mil- billion for humanitarian response,” she deteriorating because of the continua- lion internally displaced. Otaibi wished said. tion of the crisis and violence, and the success for the upcoming conference in Dire situation Syrian authorities’ failure to abide by the order to alleviate suffering of the Syrian Speaking at a press conference in relevant UN Security Council resolu- refugees. Brussels earlier, Kelley said she is visiting tions, especially those aim at improving Meanwhile, the UN Refugee Agency the Belgian capital to meet EU officials the humanitarian situation,” (UNHCR) Representative in Lebanon, to thank the EU for its very important Ambassador Otaibi said. “More than 12 Ninette Kelley, commended Kuwait’s support to the Syrian refugees and to million people need help and there are role in assisting the Syrian refugees and brief them on the dire humanitarian sit- figures released by institutions and UN welcomed the country’s hosting of the uation faced by Syrian refugees in agencies showing the size of destruc- third international pledging conference Lebanon as well as the impact this has tion, and the economic, social and for Syria on March 31.