Yemeni gov't calls for int'l probe into deadly stampede in Sanaa

ADEN, Yemen -- Yemen's government on Thursday called for an international investigation into the deadly stampede in the Houthi-controlled capital of Sanaa, as the death toll has grown from 80 to at least 87.

The Yemeni government, based in the southern port city of Aden, issued a statement, calling for "an independent and comprehensive international investigation to shed light on the details and circumstances surrounding the deadly stampede in Sanaa."

It added that "the recent disaster is a reflection of the ongoing hardships faced by Yemenis on a daily basis since the Houthi takeover of Sanaa in 2014, which has led to the loss of income, taxes, and widespread suffering due to hunger and poverty."

The Houthi-run interior ministry said the disaster on Wednesday evening was caused by a stampede during the random distribution of cash by local merchants, without organization or collaboration with the ministry, reported the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV.

Abdul Khaliq Al-Ajri, the spokesman for the ministry, was quoted as saying that two merchants responsible for the uncoordinated distribution of money were arrested while an investigation was already launched.

A Houthi official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Xinhua that "the stampede in Sanaa has resulted in a death toll of at least 87 people, with over 320 injured and approximately 59 in serious condition."

Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Houthi group seized control of several northern provinces and forced the internationally-recognized Yemeni government out of Sanaa.