Saudi warplanes mistakenly bomb allied forces in northern Yemen

Saudi military aircraft have targeted Riyadh-backed mercenaries supporting the resigned Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi in Yemen’s northern province of al-Jawf, killing and injuring scores of the mercenaries.

Informed sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Saudi warplanes struck a four-vehicle convoy of the mercenaries on Friday as it was travelling along a road in the Sadba district of the province, located approximately 110 km north of the capital Sana'a, Arabic-language al-Masirah satellite television network reported.

The Saudi-backed militiamen were reportedly planning to launch an offensive against Yemeni army forces and allied fighters from the Popular Committees in the al-Maton district in the next few days.

Several members of the Salafist and al-Qaeda-affiliated Islah party were among the casualties.

Later in the day, Saudi warplanes carried out a raft of sorties over Maghribia district in Yemen’s mountainous northwestern province of Sa’ada, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

SS