SANAA, October 9 (RIA Novosti) – Yemeni tribal militants have blown up an export pipeline in the Marib province, located to the east of the capital Sanaa, eyewitnesses told RIA Novosti Thursday.
The explosion was caused by a homemade bomb (improvised explosive device), the eyewitnesses said.
Military staff have been dispatched to the scene to hunt down the militants and protect a group of engineers who will work on restoring the pipeline.
Yemen is currently in a state of turmoil, with Houthi Shiite rebels controlling the entrances into Sanaa, as well as many residential buildings in the city.
The Houthis have been accusing the incumbent government in Sanaa of discrimination against Shiites. The group has been carrying out protests against the government since mid-August, calling for economic and political reforms.
According to Yemen's Health Ministry, about 300 people were killed in clashes between government forces and followers of the Houthi movement in late September.
Last week, hundreds of Yemenis took to the streets of Sanaa to protest the presence of the Houthi militias in the city. People demanded an immediate withdrawal of Houthis and a handover of seized facilities and properties, including weaponry.
