Yemen: A journalist was killed by a car bomb in his car

A Yemeni journalist has been killed when a car bomb exploded at an Iraqi police recruiting center at Aden, in the southern part of the country, which has been torn apart by war for seven years, an official said today.

Unidentified assailants "placed an explosive device in the car of journalist Samber al-Haidari, who worked for various foreign media," said a government official in charge of security who wished to remain anonymous.

The bomber struck shortly after noon in front of a journalist returning to his home in downtown Aden late Wednesday afternoon. He was killed on the spot, while other occupants of the car were injured, according to the same source.

The attack is reminiscent, the official added, of the November 2021 killing of journalist Rasa Abdalla, who was killed when an explosive device was detonated in the car of her husband Mahmoud al-Atmi, also a journalist, who was injured in the attack.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has confirmed the death of Samber al-Haidari, "after explosive devices were placed in his car".

The Yemeni government moved to Aden after being expelled from the capital Sanaa in 2015 by Shiite Houthi rebels.

The war that broke out in Yemen in 2014 has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions, according to the UN. It has also caused one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.

The government, backed by a Saudi-backed military coalition, and Shiite Houthi rebels are at loggerheads. Various armed organizations are active in the country, including al Qaeda.

In Yemen, foreign media depend almost exclusively on local correspondents, who face many threats.

According to RSF, journalists are often abducted by the Houthis, al Qaeda or even the government. They are also the target of "attacks, killings and threats to their lives", mainly by "militias".

Source: RES-EAP