Airstrike on wedding party in Yemen killed up to 130, UN says

The death toll from a suspected Saudi-led airstrike on a wedding party in southwest Yemen is believed to be as high as 130, including many women and children, the United Nations (UN) reports.

Rupert Colville, a spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said Tuesday that it had reports that the death toll from Monday’s airstrike was as high as 130, while many others have been injured.

“Our staff in Yemen are currently seeking to confirm these reports, including precise details on casualties. If the numbers are as high as suggested, this may be the single deadliest incident since the start of the conflict,” Colville said.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said as many as 135 people had been killed.

The airstrike happened on Monday when missiles hit two tents in the village of Al-Wahijah in Taiz province while a man linked to Houthi rebels was celebrating his marriage. The Saudi-led coalition has denied being responsible for the airstrike, calling the news “totally false” and claiming that there had been no coalition operations in that area for several days.