SANAA: A bomb attack in the governor’s compound in the southern Yemeni port city of Aden on Thursday killed four people, security officials said.

The governor and other officials who were present at the time were not hurt in the apparent assassination attempt.

The developments came as Shia rebels known as Houthis launched new attacks, after weeks of retreating as pro-government troops pushed north out of Aden. Yemen’s fighting, which escalated in March, pits the Houthis and troops loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh against southern separatists, local and tribal militias, Islamic militants and troops loyal to President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

Thursday’s explosion in Gov. Nayef al-Bakry’s office also wounded 10 people, local police officials said. Al-Bakry, who oversees the Aden governorate, was in the building at the time, meeting with high-profile military and security officials.

No one claimed responsibility for the attack and authorities were investigating, said the officials.

Backed by a Saudi-led coalition that started carrying out airstrikes against the rebels in March, pro-government fighters took Aden in July, after driving out the Houthis who had seized it in the spring.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play