UN food agency official killed in gun attack in Yemen

By Aziz Ahmedi and Gülsen Topcu

ADEN, Yemen (AA) - An armed attack on Friday resulted in the death of a UN food agency official and the injury of several others in Yemen's city of Taiz.

The gunman on a motorcycle opened fire on the employee working for the World Food Programme as he was leaving a restaurant in the Turbe district, southern Taiz, according to information from security sources in Taiz.

The exact number of wounded has not been provided.

Security forces have launched an investigation to apprehend the attacker and uncover the details of the incident.

The Chairman of the Presidential Council, Resad el-Alimi, instructed Taiz Governor Nebil Semsan to ensure that the criminal gangs responsible for the attack in Turbe are captured, Yemen's official news agency, SABA, reported.

Alimi assured that the state would take the necessary measures to ensure justice, security for aid agency workers, and the ability to reach those in need in every corner of the country.

The food agency identified the employee as Moayad Hameidi, a Jordanian national, who it said died shortly after being transferred to hospital.

It said in a statement that Hameidi had recently arrived in Yemen to assume his new role as the head of WFP’s office in Taiz.

"The loss of our colleague is a profound tragedy for our organization and the humanitarian community," said Richard Ragan, WFP Representative and Country Director in Yemen. "Any loss of life in humanitarian service is an unacceptable tragedy".

No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the incident.

*Writing by Necva Tastan in Istanbul