Aden (South24)

At least five civilians were killed, Saturday, and 25 others, including children, were wounded, in a "car bomb" explosion in front of Aden International Airport, according to security and medical sources for "South24".

A source at Aden Airport told "South24" that the explosion occurred 500 meters from the external gate of the airport in Khor Maksar district, coinciding with the arrival of a passenger flight from India.

The source said that "hundreds of passengers and cars were waiting for their families and friends to arrive from the airport."

According to medical sources, the victims of the explosion, which occurred in a densely populated neighborhood near the airport, were citizens, including children and women.

Medical sources noted that most of the injured were taken to Al-Jumhuriya General Hospital, while others were transferred to nearby private hospitals.

Al-Jumhuriya General Hospital launched an urgent call to donate blood with the arrival of dozens of wounded, some of whom are in critical conditions.

Meanwhile, the Health Office announced that the initial death toll of the attack was five dead and 25 wounded, who were transferred to Al-Jumhuriya hospital, Doctors Without Borders and Al-Burihi hospitals.

An official source said in a message seen by "South24", that the explosion in front of the gate of Aden International Airport was a "terrorist act" with a car bomb.

No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Gulf Cooperation Council condemned the attack.

The official GCC account tweeted, "The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council condemns the cowardly terrorist act represented by the explosion of a car bomb at the entrance to Aden Airport."

The STC condemned the attack, describing it as a "terrorist act."

The official STC spokesperson said, in a statement in which "South24" received a copy: "A car bomb took place, killing a number of our civilians, including children, and wounding multiple others."

Ali Al-Kathiri said that "the aim of the operation is to thwart the work of the parity government, and portray the capital, Aden, as lacking security and stability, in addition to thwarting any attempt to complete the implementation of the Riyadh Agreement."

The attack comes a day after a high-ranking European delegation left the capital, Aden, and 20 days after a car bomb attack targeted the convoy of Aden's governor Ahmed Lamlas and the Minister of Agriculture Salem Al-Socotri in Al-Tawahi district.

The ambassadors of Germany, the Netherlands, France, Sweden and the European Union representative in Yemen visited the city of Aden, during which they met with the Yemeni government, the STC and other local and community parties.

In Shabwa, pro-Islah government forces launched a tank attack at dawn on Saturday, on Al-Alam Camp in Jardan District where forces from the pro-STC Shabwani Elite Forces are stationed.

Local sources said that at least one soldier was wounded in the attack. And the UAE-backed force was able to get out of the camp with all its weapons.

UAE and Saudi forces operating within the Arab Calition forces in Shabwa governorate have left Al-Alam Camp and Ataq Airport during the past couple of days.

- South24 Center for News and Studies

- Photo: the attack that took place in front of the gate of Aden International Airport, Saturday evening, October 30, 2021 (alittihad.ae)