Local Editor

Two aid workers registered with the International Committee of the Red Cross [ICRC] have been shot dead by gunmen in northern Yemen, in an escalation of violence against members of humanitarian organizations working in the impoverished country.

According to the ICRC website on Wednesday, the two aid workers were travelling with colleagues in a convoy between Saada and Sana’a in Yemen when the attack happened.

"It is believed a single gunman opened fire on the convoy. One ICRC staff member died at the scene; the second was taken to hospital, but later died", ICRC said.

They worked as a field officer and as a driver. Both were from Yemen.

Meanwhile, the head of the ICRC delegation in Yemen, Antoine Grand, said that, "The ICRC condemns in the strongest possible terms what appears to have been the deliberate targeting of our staff". 

The ICRC said that it was not immediately clear who carried out the attack, noting that there had been a number of security incidents involving the organization in recent months.

Recently last week, the ICRC said that it had suspended its operations in Yemen’s second city of Aden after gunmen attacked its offices while holding staff at gunpoint.

This is also while a Saudi-led coalition backed by the United States has been carrying out a military aggression on Yemen by launching airstrikes against the country since March 26. The airstrikes have not been authorized by the United Nations [UN].