Houthi drone attack kills six in Yemen's Taiz

Aden, Dec 2 (IANS) A Houthi drone attack on a popular market in Yemen's Taiz province killed six people and injured eight others.

The local pro-government military official, who requested anonymity, said on Sunday that "the Houthi bombing occurred in the Maqbanah district of Taiz during a busy market day when dozens of local residents were present," Xinhua news agency reported.

The attack has drawn strong condemnation from the Yemeni government, which directly blamed the Houthi group for the incident.

Muammar al-Eryani, Yemen's information minister, described the bombing as an "extension of brutal and deliberate killings" carried out by Houthi militias against civilians in Taiz.

The minister called for international action and urged the United Nations and various human rights organisations to condemn what he termed a "heinous crime that demonstrates the militia's disregard for human life."

Local medical sources confirmed the impact of the drone attack, noting that some of the wounded are in critical condition.

The Houthi group has not issued an official comment regarding the incident in Taiz.

Yemen has been embroiled in a devastating civil war since late 2014, with the Houthis fighting against the internationally-recognised Yemeni government.

In 2015, the Houthi group entered Taiz province and surrounded its namesake capital, Taiz. Although the city remains under the control of the Yemeni government, it is still besieged by Houthi forces.