Yemen: Stampede during aid distribution program in Ramadan, 85 people killed, hundreds injured

'Yemen: Stampede during aid distribution program in Ramadan, 85 people killed, hundreds injured'

During the aid distribution program in the month of Ramadan in Yemen's capital Sana'a, the stampede turned fatal. 85 people died and hundreds were injured in the stampede.

According to information, the program was organized to distribute financial aid to the needy in the month of Ramadan in Yemen's capital Sanaa. Before Eid, a large number of people gathered in this event to get financial help.

Yemen's power is currently controlled by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. According to Yemen's interior ministry, a sudden stampede broke out among hundreds of poor people who gathered for financial aid. The situation became difficult to handle after the stampede and 85 people lost their lives. Hundreds of people were injured in the incident, who were taken to the hospital. Out of which 73 are seriously injured. Houthi has announced compensation of $2,000 to the families of the dead and $400 to the injured.

Brigadier Abdel-Khaliq al-Aghari, spokesman for Yemen's interior ministry, said the incident occurred due to improper distribution of financial aid without coordination with local authorities. The aid distribution program was organized in a school. The rebels sealed the school after the incident.

Eyewitnesses said that armed Houthi rebels fired in the air to control the crowd and it exploded after hitting a power line. This spread panic among the people present in the program and people started running away. The Interior Ministry said it has detained two organizers and the matter is under investigation.