Yemen: Pregnant Journalist Rasha Abdullah Killed In Horrific Car Bombing, Husband Critically Injured
Location: Yemen
Date: November 10, 2021
Rasha Abdullah al-Harazi and her unborn child were killed in a horrific car bombing in Aden this afternoon. Her husband, Mahmoud al-Atmi, who was driving her to the hospital when they were targeted, was critically injured. The Coalition For Women In Journalism is horrified at the targeted attack on Rasha and her husband, also a journalist. We denounce the killing and demand an immediate inquiry.
Reports on the initial police investigation suggest Rasha was killed by an explosive device planted in their vehicle.
“An explosive device planted in the car of journalist Mahmoud Al Atmi blew up as he was taking his wife Rasha Abdullah to hospital to deliver her baby,” a government source told AFP.
Rasha was 27 years old. She and her husband worked with multiple local and regional media outlets. The couple have a two-year-old child.
Media reports quoted Atmi expressing suspicion on Iran-backed Houthi rebels for the attack. There was no immediate claim by any group for the bombing.
“They were trying to find out my home address,” Atmi told reporters at the hospital.
Our colleague Rasha Abdullah, reporter of Alsharq TV, was killed with her baby today while her husband Mahmoud was seriously injured in an explosive device blast planted in their car in #Aden.#Yemen. pic.twitter.com/2bISgxTC6y
— Ahmad Algohbary (@AhmadAlgohbary) November 9, 2021
Authorities to conduct an immediate and impartial investigation into the attack on Rasha Abdullah and her husband. We vehemently condemn the killing and demand an end to the impunity with which crimes against journalists are carried out in the country.
Since the Iran-aligned Houthi movement ousted the internationally recognised government from the capital, Sana’a, in late 2014, Yemen has been mired in violence.
In October a car bomb targeting the convoy of Aden’s governor killed at least six people. A month before that 12 civilians were killed in a blast near the city’s airport. Moreover, journalists have been threatened, assaulted, detained and killed by rebel groups since the conflict escalated. At least four journalists have been killed in this year alone.
The CFWIJ strongly condemns the police brutality against journalists. We demand the immediate return of the press cards seized from the security forces. Policies to intimidate journalists should be abandoned, and journalism should be practiced under the criteria of freedom of the press.
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