Sanaa, October 8

Three brothers preparing to get married were killed in a rocket attack alongside at least 22 other people in southwest Yemen today, residents reported, saying Saudi-led coalition jets were probably to blame.

The three brothers were waiting for their brides’ party to arrive when a missile hit their house in the town of Sanban in Dhamar region, residents told Reuters. At least 50 people were wounded, but the brides were unharmed, locals and medics added.

Officials and residents have accused the Saudi-led forces, battling Iran-backed Houthis in the Arabian Peninsula nation, of killing civilians in two other attacks over the past two weeks.

More than one hundred people were killed at a wedding party on September 28.

Residents in the village of Sanban said the brothers were waiting for the brides’ party to arrive when the missile hit their house. At least 10 other people were killed, they said. No one claimed responsibility for the attack.

A coalition spokesman could not be reached for comment, but the Arab alliance says it does not target civilians.

The Houthi-run Saba

news agency reported that a coalition air raid in Sanban had killed or wounded dozens of people at a wedding celebration and the toll might rise to more than 30.

Rights group Amnesty International yesterday called for countries including the United States and Britain to stop arming the Saudi-led coalition. In a report, Amnesty said there was an urgent need for an independent investigation of violations.

The Arab coalition began air strikes against the Houthis and their allies, forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, in late March after a push from their northern stronghold towards the southern port of Aden.