CAIRO (Sputnik) — The German Consulate in Aden in southern Yemen was attacked Monday evening by unknown assailants, local sources told Sputnik on Tuesday.
In one version, as reported by Ali Saleh Hage, a representative of the Southern Movement advocating for the independence of South Yemen, the assault was carried out by Houthis, a Shia insurgent group.
"Houthis stormed the German consulate in Aden," Hage insisted to Sputnik. He added that the Shiite militants also seized a nearby hospital. He reported that patients and hospital staff were forced to leave the building.
Refuting the reports of a Houthi takeover of the German consulate, Hassan Saadi, a member of the Ansar Allah politburo, told Sputnik that “a seizure of diplomatic missions is not in the interests of the Houthis, on the contrary, [Houthis are] protecting all the state institutions and diplomatic missions." However, he could not identify who was involved in the incident at the consulate.
Aden is submerged in heavy street fighting, involving Houthis, al-Qaeda and forces supporting the Yemeni President-in-exile Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.
Houthis deny they occupy any foreign government agencies, and argue that it is al-Qaeda and Hadi's forces who are responsible.
