Yemen: 6 Dead, 23 Injured in Explosion at Arms Depot

A source in the local authority reported that 6 people were killed and 23 others were injured in an explosion at an arms depot in Abyan Governorate, southern Yemen.

The source told "Sputnik" that a fire broke out in a warehouse for weapons and ammunition in the center of the city of Lawdar, eastern Abyan, which led to its explosion and the collapse of parts of the building, killing 6 people and wounding 23.

It added, "A number of the injured, who were taken to the Martyr Mahnaf Hospital in the city of Lawdar, are in critical condition."

The death toll is expected to rise.

The source pointed out that the explosion caused extensive material damage in the vicinity of the place.

No one has claimed responsibility for the blast. The depot was used to store weapons and explosives, both of which are usually sold in the market in Lawdar.

Yemen has been in a civil war since 2014, when Iran-backed Houthi rebels seized the capital, Sanaa, forcing the government to flee. The following year, a Saudi-led coalition entered the war to fight the Houthis and try to restore the government to power.

Over the years of conflict, Yemen, the poorest country in the Arab world, has become awash with small arms that have been smuggled into poorly controlled ports. In May, at least five civilians were killed and 20 injured when a man threw a grenade into a crowded fish market in the southern port city of Aden.