Protesters buried in mass grave in Aden

Protesters killed by security forces were buried in a mass grave in Aden on February 27, a ranking Yemeni official confirmed today.

The grave site is on the eastern edge of the Salahu Deen military camp, near little Aden, and was first reported last week.

The official said 15 protesters were buried together in an unmarked single grave about eight meters long, speaking anonymously due to the high risk of government reprisal.

On Friday, February 25 Yemeni security forces launched a broad assault in Aden resulting in twenty-two fatalities among protesters. These were identified by name and hometown, and the number is likely to rise. Over 100 demonstrators were also wounded by gunfire. The deaths occurred in several locations across Aden in what appears a pre-planned onslaught of state violence in the governorate which had seen increasing numbers of anti-government protesters.

Residents reported homes were strafed, and police shot directly into crowds, Human Rights Watch reported. Many protesters were arrested, some pulled from hospitals by security forces. Ambulances were blocked and the dead, dying and injured on the streets were pinned down by gun fire.

In an apparent effort to mask the death toll, Yemeni security forces raided hospital morgues in Aden and transported corpses to the Basuhaib military hospital in Tawahi. Medical sources at Basuhaib hospital confirmed the protesters bodies were later taken away by the military.

The burial took place in the early morning, Sunday, February 27 after the bodies arrived from Taqahi in two military trucks.

The state continues to withhold information from families regarding the identities of arrested protesters.

Rights groups have urged Yemen to halt assualts on peaceful protesters.

Dozens of reporters were beaten and harassed during the protests.

Tens of thousands gathered Friday, March 4, in a massive funeral march for Hael Waleed Hael, 18, that began in Mallah, Aden and ended at the Alqatee cemetery in Crater City. Mr. Hael was shot to death on Mallah’s main road during the assault on Aden.

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