More than 30 civilians killed by Saudi-led airstrikes in Yemen, UN says

Airstrikes by a Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen killed more than 30 civilians in a mountainous northern province Saturday, the rebels said, and the U.N. humanitarian chief called the attack “shocking.”

The attack came hours after Yemeni rebels, known as Houthis, said they shot down a warplane of the Saudi-led coalition over the province of Jawf.

Saudi Arabia’s state-run news agency quoted Col. Turki al-Maliki, a spokesman for the coalition, as saying it was investigating “possible collateral damage” from a rescue operation in the area after the downing of the Tornado warplane.

Al-Maliki was quoted as saying the plane was providing air support for Yemeni government forces fighting the Houthis.

He did not say whether there were causalities or provide further details on the fate of the aircraft’s crew.

He said the two-pilot crew of the Tornado managed to eject safely before the crash, claiming that the Houthis opened fire on them. He said the Houthis were responsible for the pilots’ “life and safety,” according to the Saudi Arabia official news agency.

He did not say whether there were causalities or provide further details.

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