Illustrative image.
Early on July 1, four doctors were wounded when an unidentified drone targeted their ambulance in the southwestern Yemeni province of Dhale.
The ambulance was passing near the frontline with the Houthis (Ansar Allah) in Bab Ghalq to the north of the district of Qa’tabah when it was struck. The four wounded doctors were identified as Najm al-Din Fadel Askar, Adham Abdel Salam Muhammad al-Uqla, Aref Ahmed Ali and Musa Qaid Saeed.
The Houthis were blamed for the strike by several Yemeni and Saudi sources. However, there is still no evidence to back these accusations.
-
- Click to see full-size image. Source: Al-Arabiya .
-
- Click to see full-size image. Source: Al-Arabiya .
-
- Click to see full-size image. Source: Al-Arabiya .
The strike came amid a ceasefire between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition. The ceasefire agreement, which was brokered by the United Nations, entered into effect on April 2 and was set to end on June 2. However, it was extended at the very last day for two more months.
Saudi-led coalition proxies in Dhale reported several ceasefire violations by the Houthis in the last few weeks. The most serious violation was on June 26, when a series of artillery strikes which were attributed to the group targeted positions of the Saudi-led coalition and its proxies in the northern and northwestern part of the province. As a result of the strikes, five Saudi-backed fighters were wounded and several military vehicles were destroyed.
During the same period, the Houthis reported dozens of ceasefire violations by the proxies of the Saudi-led coalition in Dhale.
The ceasefire in Yemen will not likely be affected by the recent events in Dhale. Both the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition appear to be determined to keep the ceasefire alive. The UN could take advantage of the current situation and expand the ceasefire beyond September.
