2019 Mokha restaurant bombing
| 2019 Mokha restaurant bombing | |
|---|---|
| Part of Yemeni civil war (2014-present) | |
| Location | Mokha, Yemen |
| Date | January 28, 2019 |
| Deaths | 7 |
| Injured | 20 |
| Victims | One Abu Dhabi TV journalist killed, one injured |
| Perpetrator | Unknown |
On January 28, 2019, a bomb exploded in a cafe in Mokha, Yemen, killing seven people including Emirati photojournalist Ziad al-Shaarabi.
Background
By late 2018 and early 2019, the Yemeni coastal city of Mokha was under the control of the Yemeni Armed Forces and was a major base of the United Arab Emirates.[1] The city had not seen many major attacks by either the Houthis or other Yemeni militant groups like the Islamic State's Yemen Province or Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).[1] Mokha was being used as a logistical hub to support an Emirati and Yemeni offensive on Hodeidah.[2]
Bombing
The bombing was caused by an explosives-laden motorcycle situated near a bustling market in Mokha. Several Emirati journalists from Abu Dhabi TV were at a restaurant in the market when the bomb exploded.[3] Faisal al-Dhahbani, an Emirati journalist who survived the attack, was working alongside his coworker Ziad al-Sharaabi, both of whom were in Mokha to cover clashes in western Yemen between the Houthis and the Yemeni government.[3] Seven people were killed in the attack, including al-Sharaabi.[3][2] Another twenty people, including al-Dhahbani, were injured.[3][2]
The perpetrator of the bombing is not known.
References
- 1 2 "Rare blast hits Yemen port town of Mokha". Reuters via Euronews. January 29, 2019. Retrieved June 3, 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Deadly bombing hits market in Yemen's Mokha". The New Arab. January 29, 2019. Retrieved June 3, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Yemeni cameraman killed and journalist wounded in bomb attack". IFEX. 2019-02-01. Retrieved 2026-06-04.