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Yemen's exiled government reopens Aden airport

July 23, 2015

A Saudi military plane loaded with aid has landed at Aden airport. It was the first flight to reach the embattled port city in four months.

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Aden airport
Image: Getty Images/AFP/S. Al-Obeidi

Yemen's exiled government reopened Aden airport on Wednesday, a week after its loyalists retook control of most parts of the southern port city.

Saudi Arabia landed a military aircraft in the southern city of Aden's airport, the airfield's first use after operations there were halted in March, the airport's chief manager said.

The aircraft reportedly carried aid for the war-torn city according to Tarek Abdu, the Aden International Airport manager. Some sources, however, reported that the flight delivered arms for pro-government fighters.

Abdu added that no commercial flights were expected to land at the airport yet. While repair work was going to be carried out to fix damage done to the airport during fighting in the past few months, the airport's staff was expected preparing to receive daily aid-carrying aircraft starting soon, he explained.

Corridor for aid

Yemen's transport minister Badr Bassalma also said that the Saudi aircraft paved the way for an aerial corridor for aid delivery to the south. A technical team from the United Arab Emirates was sent to assist in airport repairs as well as to gauge other urgent needs in the city, he added.

"This marks the start of the airport operation," Basalma said, according to the Saudi-owned broadcaster Al Arabiya television.

Fighters in Aden
Months of rebel fighting left large parts of Aden destroyedImage: Reuters/Str

"Planes carrying humanitarian assistance are expected to arrive at the airport in the coming two days," he added.

Aden's airport had been seized by Iran-allied Houthi rebels in March after fierce fighting in the strategic port city. A Saudi-led offensive earlier this week had recaptured the country's second city from rebel control.

Some 12.9 million people - about half of Yemen's population - were reported as in need of food and other aid following months of fighting, according to the UN. Scores have been killed in Aden alone.

ss/bw (AP, Reuters, dpa)