In Yemen, a tragic incident occurred on Wednesday when dozens of people were killed and many others injured in a crowd surge during a charity event in the capital city of Sanaa. The event was organized by local merchants during the holy month of Ramadan to distribute charity handouts to needy residents. The incident happened as people rushed to receive donations of about $9 at a school. According to reports, hundreds of people had gathered at the school, and when officials in charge of the distribution arrived and opened the door, many people rushed in, causing a stampede.
The scene was chaotic, with people packed tightly together, unable to move and shouting for help. Those trapped formed a tangled wall of bodies, with some desperately stretching out their arms for help. Video footage of the tragedy showed the horrific scene, while images from the aftermath showed shoes and slippers heaped into piles, and scarfs strewn on the ground.
The Houthi-run Ministry of Interior confirmed the incident and expressed its condolences. Abdul-Khaleq al-Ajri, the ministry's spokesman, said in a statement that the tragic and painful accident occurred due to a large stampede of citizens caused by a random distribution of money by some merchants without coordination with the ministry.
At least 78 people were killed in the incident, and dozens more were injured, according to Mutahar al-Marouni, the director of the Houthi-run Health office in Sanaa. The head of the Houthi Supreme Political Council, Mahdi Al-Mashat, ordered an investigation into the incident on Thursday. The Houthi-run General Authority for Zakat announced in a statement that it would give one million Yemeni Riyal (about $4,000) to each family of the crowd surge victims. It also said it would take care of the treatment of those injured and pay 200,000 Yemeni Riyal (about $800) to each injured person.
Yemen has been described by the UN as the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with 21.6 million people – two-thirds of the country's population – in dire need of humanitarian assistance. Tens of thousands of Yemenis are living in famine, according to the UN. The country's conflict began as a civil war in 2014, when Houthi forces stormed the capital Sanaa and toppled the internationally recognized and Saudi-backed government. It spiraled into a wider war in 2015 when a Saudi-led coalition intervened in an attempt to beat back the Houthis. But it eventually became a proxy war between Iran – which has been accused of arming the Houthis – and Saudi Arabia, and the main arena for their competition for regional influence.
Yemeni journalist Naseh Shaker, who was at the scene, said that the tragedy was the result of years of economic desperation and the international community should "act now" to stop the war. "People are no longer killed by air strikes or by shelling of warring parties. Now they are dying because they are rushing to get food," he said. The incident highlights the dire situation in Yemen, where the conflict has led to the loss of many innocent lives and displaced millions of people.