Explosion near Taiz Republican Palace [Archives:2008/1118/Local News]
Imad Ahmed Abdullah
TAIZ, Jan. 5 ) A massive explosion occurred last Wednesday a few meters from the fence of the Republican Palace in Taiz, critically injuring 16-year-old Anwar A. Fadhel and 15-year-old Radhi Taher, who were promptly taken to Taiz's Al-Thawra Hospital.
A source close to Fadhel confirmed that the explosion was due to a bomb planted in a desolate area in the middle of the watercourse located west of the Republican Palace, adding that the two teens didn't know what a bomb was. While attempting to dismantle it to sell it for scrap, it suddenly exploded, ripping apart their bodies.
The same source reported that Fadhel's nose was broken while one hand, his legs and his genitals were amputated. The older of the two boys is from a poor family of 11 members who have no provider. They live on their dead father's YR 10,000 pension and occasionally receive assistance from charities and philanthropists.
According to the source, eighth-grader Fadhel was obliged to collect scrap from randomly built houses and the nearby desolate surroundings.
Due to the poor services available at Al-Thawra Hospital, Taher was transferred to the intensive care unit at Al-Sa'eed Specialized Hospital where he underwent a YR 300,000 surgery to repair his legs. Currently in a coma, he still requires surgery on his eyes and other parts of his body, which was hit with various-sized shrapnel.
Like his friend, sixth-grader Taher also collects scrap to help provide for his family. The source close to Taher also appealed to philanthropists and other charitable individuals to aid him in having the remaining surgeries.
A security source who refused to give his name stated that security bodies immediately instigated an investigation following the incident, which was caused by playing with unspecified dangerous materials. This is the third time such an incident has occurred, with most victims being children.
Such incidents occasionally occur in Taiz city due to bombs or landmines, thus raising questions about why, when and how such devices were planted in populated areas.
The security authorities in Taiz are striving to remove all landmines planted during the war which took place in the late 1970s in Yemen's central areas, Taiz, including Shara'b Al-Rawnah and Shara'b Al-Salam districts and Ibb governorates,. A permanent center has been created in those specific areas to remove all landmines and explosive bombs.
Children in Taiz are victims of the planted landmines and bombs planted over there. Nobody knows how, when and why those landmines and bombs were planted in the vicinity of households and populated areas.
——
[archive-e:1118-v:15-y:2008-d:2008-01-07-p:ln]
