According to eyewitness accounts, Houthis fired shots into the air to try to disperse the masses. One of the shots struck an electrical line, causing it to burst and spreading fear on the ground.
After a rush, at least 78 people have perished in Sanaa, the capital of Yemen.
According to Houthi-controlled news, dozens more people are reportedly hurt at a financial aid distribution event in the Old City.
The incident was described as “tragic” and “painful” in a statement from the nation’s interior ministry, which is under Houthi control. It was described as “random money distribution by some merchants without coordination with the Ministry of Interior and without organisation.”
“The dead and injured were taken to hospitals, and two of the merchants responsible for the incident were arrested,” the statement continued.
The spokesperson, Brigadier Al-Ajri, also stated that an investigation is ongoing and that “we extend our sincere condolences and condolences to all the families of the victims, asking Allah Almighty to keep their hearts patient.”
The Houthis fired into the air to try to contain the masses, according to eyewitnesses who spoke to the Associated Press. One round is alleged to have struck an electrical line, causing it to burst and spreading fear on the ground.
They said that the sum of money being distributed was 5,000 Yemeni riyals, or around £16.
According to The Associated Press, Houthi militants sought to hinder journalists’ access to the distribution site by sealing it off.
At least 13 of the injured, according to senior health official Motaher al-Marouni, had significant injuries.
Since overthrowing the city’s internationally recognised administration in 2014, the Houthis, who get support from Iran, have been in charge of Sanaa.
Saudi Arabia made an attempt to interfere in the fight in 2015, but it subsequently turned into a proxy war against Iran, killing more than 150,000 people and creating one of the biggest humanitarian catastrophes in history.
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