Yemeni journalist for Al Arabiya killed by bomb planted in his car

A Yemeni journalist for the Al Arabiya news network was killed when a bomb planted in his car exploded in southern Yemen, according to the network.

Mohammed Aydah, a correspondent for Al Arabiya, a Saudi-owned Arabic-language news network based in Dubai, was killed Wednesday in Mukalla, a port city in Hadramout governorate on Yemen’s southern coast. The network said the explosive device had been planted under the driver’s seat.

Aydah had just dropped off his family at home and was on his way to meet a friend when the bomb exploded, according to Al Arabiya. Witnesses described the blast as powerful, and the vehicle caught fire after the explosion.

Aydah was killed instantly. His body was taken to a local hospital in Mukalla.

Al Arabiya reported that security authorities in Mukalla had told Aydah about a month ago that there was a threat to his life. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing.

Yemeni Prime Minister Shaya Mohsen al-Zindani directed the Interior Ministry and security agencies to support the investigation and use the resources needed to identify those responsible.

Aydah, borin in 1986, had worked as a freelance photographer and correspondent for Al Arabiya since 2019, covering political, security and development stories in eastern Yemen, including Hadramout and Mahra, according to Al Arabiya.

Aydah was the father of four children, a son and three daughters.

“Al Arabiya and Al Hadath extend their sincere condolences and sympathy to the family and relatives of our colleague Aydah after his death in a painful targeting incident,” the network said. “We ask God to grant him mercy and to give his family, relatives and colleagues patience and solace.”