Yemen: Attack on defence ministry kills 56, wounds 215

In a brazen show of force, militants attacked Yemen’s Ministry of Defence compound on 5 December. The attack and subsequent clashes killed 56 people, according to state news agency Saba. A preliminary report submitted to President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi indicated the assault was conducted by 12 men, most of whom were Saudi nationals, just before 9am. After storming the compound, the attackers detonated a car bomb near the hospital inside it. Clashes between militants and special forces continued until around 4:30am on 6 December. According to Saba, among the fatalities was the country director of German development agency GIZ and his assistant.