SANAA, Yemen (AP) — In deep shock, Yemen is marking the 22nd anniversary of its unification, a day after a deadly suicide bombing killed nearly 100 soldiers during a rehearsal for a military parade in the heart of the capital Sanaa.
A smaller, symbolic parade was still held at a high-security location inside Sanaa’s Aviation Academy on Tuesday to mark Yemen’s National Day.
President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi attended the ceremony, sitting behind a bulletproof glass shield with his armored car parked nearby. The program was cut short from three hours to one and only cadets from the police and aviation academies participated.
Al-Qaida has claimed responsibility for Monday’s attack, saying it was a revenge for a U.S.-backed offensive against the terror network in southern Yemen.
