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The triple suicide bombings claimed by Daesh targeted mosques attended by Al Houthis in Sanaa. Image Credit: Twitter

Sanaa: At least 142 people were killed on Friday in triple suicide bombings that targeted mosques attended by Al Houthi militiamen in the Yemeni capital, witnesses and medical sources said.

The final death toll could be higher. Daesh (or the so-called Islamic State) militants have claimed responsibility for the deadly suicide bomb attack, according to their statement cited by Reuters.

One bomb exploded inside Badr mosque in southern Sanaa, and was followed by another at the gate as worshippers fled, witnesses said.

The third suicide bomber targeted Al Hashahush mosque in northern Sanaa.

The Al Houthi militia's Al Massira television said hospitals in the capital had made urgent appeals for blood donations.

The attacks are the deadliest since a car bomb killed 40 people and wounded dozens more at a police academy in Sanaa in January as recruits lined up to register.

Yemen's top security body blamed Al Qaida for that blast although a leader of the jihadist network denied responsibility.

Resistance

The Al Houthis overran Sanaa in September and have since tightened their grip on power. Their attempts to extend their control into other areas have been met by deadly resistance from Sunni tribes and Al Qaida.

Yemen, a front line in the US war on Al Qaida, has descended into chaos since the 2012 ouster of longtime strongman Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has been accused of backing the Al Houthis.

President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi escaped Al Houthi house arrest in Sanaa last month and fled to the southern city of Aden.

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Militiamen loyal to President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi ride on a tank on a street in Aden, Yemen, Thursday, March 19, 2015. Image Credit: AP
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