At least 20 killed in Yemen clashes
BEIJING. September 23. KAZINFORM At least 20 people have been killed after two days of clashes between armed Shiite and Sunni groups in northern Yemen, according to Xinhuanet.
They died in fierce fighting in the streets of Rayda in Amran province, some 80 kilometres north of the capital Sanaa. The violence erupted on Friday, after Shiite rebels stormed a Sunni-held mosque. There has long been tension between Salafi Islamist Sunnis and the Shiite Houthi rebels.
The Houthis fought a six-year war against former President Ali Abdullah Saleh until a cease-fire was reached in early 2010. Since Saleh stepped down as president in February, the rebel group has aligned with loyalists of the former president to fight the Salafists, who are members of the opposition Islah Party. Friday's fighting began a week after a new governor from the Islah Party was installed in Amran. Amran province has witnessed a series of sectarian battles over the last few months that have left hundreds dead.