Over 40 Somali refugees shot dead off Yemen coast

More than 40 Somali refugees, including women and children, have been shot dead aboard a boat in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen, AFP reported Friday (March 17th).

It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack.

The refugees were hit by light weapons fire in waters off al-Hodeida, which is held by the Houthis (Ansarallah), but managed to dock in the city's port, an official there said.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said the death toll has now reached 42, with some 80 survivors rescued and taken to hospital, including many in "extremely critical" condition.

The port official said dozens of Somalis who survived the attack, as well as three Yemeni traffickers, had been taken to the city's prison.

It was unclear whether those on board were trying to leave Yemen or seek refuge there, but the IOM said it believed the boat was heading for Sudan.

The coast south of al-Hodeida has seen violent clashes over the past 24 hours, leaving 32 dead including 10 civilians, according to military and medical officials.

The fighting killed 14 Houthis and eight soldiers supporting the Yemeni government.

Separately, the UAE armed forces said Thursday that an Emirati soldier had been killed in Yemen while on duty with the coalition, but did not provide details of the circumstances of his death.

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