SANAA, Dec 13 At least 70 people were killed in a Saudi air raid on a Yemeni village near the border with Saudi Arabia on Sunday, Yemen's Huthi rebels alleged, declaring the attack a “massacre.” A spokesman for Yemen's army, Askar Zuail, confirmed air raids in the region but said they were carried out by Yemeni planes and targeted rebel positions and not civilians.

An Internet rebel statement said the attack was carried out on Sunday morning against the village of Bani Maan in Razeh region of northern Sadaa province, the mountainous stronghold of the rebels.

“Saudi aircraft committed a massacre ... against the innocent residents of Bani Maan,” the rebel statement said.

According to a preliminary count, it added, the raid killed at least 70 people and wounded more than 100.

It alleged that Saudi planes had carried out “more than 50 raids” during the course of Sunday.

Zuail confirmed deadly air raids on Sunday, but gave little other detail.

“Bani Maan is one of the most fortified rebel strongholds. Today Yemeni aircraft launched a number of air raids (in the region), killing many Huthis,” Zuail said.

There was no immediate reaction by the Saudi authorities to the rebels'

claims.

A local official, Sheikh Arfej bin Hadhban, meanwhile, said that five rebel chiefs had surrendered to authorities after having tried but failed to cross the Saudi border.—AFP