A massive explosion rocked the Aden Airport in Yemen on Wednesday, a source told Sputnik. The blast occurred when a plane carrying the new Yemeni government landed at the airport. Reuters reported citing witnesses that gunfire was also heard at the airport after the plane landed.
The source told Sputnik that the members of the new cabinet were not injured in the explosion, adding that they were inside the plane at that moment. The initial death toll stood at 5, while some 20 people were injured, according to the source.
All of the ministers were later transferred to the Maasheeq presidential palace in Aden.
The cabinet members arrived in Aden following Saturday's inauguration in the Saudi capital Riyadh.
Last week, President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi announced the creation of a new 24-strong government, in which five portfolios belong to the Southern Transitional Council in line with the Riyadh agreement that the sides struck in November 2019.
Yemen has been embroiled in an armed conflict between government forces led by President Hadi and the Houthi rebels for nearly five years now. The former is backed by a military coalition of Arab countries led by Saudi Arabia.
