SANAA: Multiple suicide bombings claimed by the self-styled Islamic State (IS) group killed at least 142 people on Friday at mosques in Yemen’s capital — one of the strife-torn country’s deadliest terrorist attacks.

The killings are 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 militant organisation.

Charred bodies and pools of blood were witnessed at the scene of the blasts, which targeted supporters of the Shia Huthi militia that has seized control of the capital.

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, now controlled by the Huthis.

Nashwan al-Atab, a member of the health ministry’s operations committee, said that 142 people were killed and at least 351 wounded.

Huthi 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 suicide bomber blew himself up outside a mosque in the northern Huthi stronghold of Saada, a source close to the militia said.

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 were “just the tip of the iceberg”. “Infidel Huthis should know that the soldiers of the Islamic State will not rest until they eradicate them... and cut off the arm of the Safavid (Iranian) plan in Yemen,” the statement said.

The Huthis are accused of receiving support from Iran.

They overran Sanaa in September and have since tightened their grip on power.

Their attempts to extend their control into other areas have been met by deadly resistance from Sunni tribes and Al Qaeda, which is the target of a long-standing US drone strike campaign.

The US condemned the mosque bombings but said it could not confirm the veracity of the IS claim of responsibility.

“We deplore the brutality of the terrorists who perpetrated today’s unprovoked attack(s) on Yemeni citizens, who were peacefully engaged in Friday prayers,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said. But there is not, as yet, a “clear operational” link between Yemeni extremists and the IS in Syria and Iraq, he added.

Yemen has descended into chaos since the 2012 ouster of long-time strongman Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has been accused of backing the Huthis.

Friday’s blasts came a day after clashes between forces loyal to President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and those allied with the Huthis in the southern city of Aden.

Published in Dawn, March 21st, 2015

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