Yemen: Journalist Rasha Abdullah, child killed in horrific car bombing, husband critically injured

/

Yemen, November 10 - Rasha Abdullah al-Harazi and her unborn child were killed in a horrific car bombing in Aden this afternoon. Her husband, Mahmoud al-Atmi, who was driving her to the hospital when they were targeted, was critically injured. The Coalition For Women In Journalism is horrified at the targeted attack on Rasha and her husband, also a journalist. We denounce the killing and demand an immediate inquiry.  

Reports on the initial police investigation suggest Rasha was killed by an explosive device planted in their vehicle.  

“An explosive device planted in the car of journalist Mahmoud Al Atmi blew up as he was taking his wife Rasha Abdullah to hospital to deliver her baby,” a government source told AFP.

Rasha was 27 years old. She and her husband worked with multiple local and regional media outlets. The couple have a two-year-old child.

Media reports quoted Atmi expressing suspicion on Iran-backed Houthi rebels for the attack. There was no immediate claim by any group for the bombing. 

“They were trying to find out my home address,” Atmi told reporters at the hospital.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is devastated by this tragedy. We call on the Yemeni authorities to conduct an immediate and impartial investigation into the attack on Rasha Abdullah and her husband. We vehemently condemn the killing and demand an end to the impunity with which crimes against journalists are carried out in the country.  

Since the Iran-aligned Houthi movement ousted the internationally recognised government from the capital, Sana’a, in late 2014, Yemen has been mired in violence.

In October a car bomb targeting the convoy of Aden’s governor killed at least six people. A month before that 12 civilianswere killedin a blast near the city’s airport. Moreover, journalists have been threatened, assaulted, detained and killed by rebel groups since the conflict escalated. At least four journalists have been killed in this year alone.