© 2025 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Deadly stampede in Yemen comes ahead of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

An act of charity has turned into a tragedy in one of the world's poorest nations. About 80 people died and many more were injured in a stampede that developed as people gathered in the capital to collect donations on one of the final days of Ramadan. NPR's Aya Batrawy has this report.

AYA BATRAWY, BYLINE: Evening prayers had just finished, and a crowd was gathered at a school in Yemen's capital, Sana'a, where cash handouts worth around $9 were being distributed. But it all went horribly wrong as the crowd pushed forward, down a narrow street leading toward the school, unaware that people in the front were being crushed and suffocated. The tragedy occurred just days before Muslims celebrate the end of Ramadan with charity to the poor.

Video of the stampede showed men struggling to break free from the crowd, their arms stretched out as they pleaded for rescue. A man standing on a ledge is heard yelling to the crowd, move back, move back. But it was already too late.

(SOUNDBITE OF SIREN)

BATRAWY: Health officials say in addition to the dozens dead, many more were injured in the stampede. Yemeni news channel Al-Masirah carried images of survivors in hospitals. Some had broken bones or deep gashes on their legs; others were breathing with the support of oxygen masks. Houthi officials, who are in charge of the capital Sana'a, say the event should have never happened like this. Houthi officials told local TV prominent businessmen had organized the charitable distribution without coordinating first with local authorities.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: (Non-English language spoken).

BATRAWY: The Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV channel says a criminal investigation is underway. The channel carried images of the aftermath. Stairs leading up to the school are strewn with the bloodstained clothes and rubber flip-flops of victims. This is one of the world's poorest countries. Its economy has been devastated by years of war. The World Food Programme estimates that nearly 24 million people in Yemen are in need of assistance. Seventeen million lack access to affordable vegetables, fruit and other basic food items. There are signs that Yemen's war is now winding down, but Wednesday night's stampede is a reminder of just how dire the humanitarian crisis remains.

Aya Batrawy, NPR News, Dubai.

(SOUNDBITE OF ANNE MULLER'S "NUMMER 2") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

Aya Batrawy
Aya Batraway is an NPR International Correspondent based in Dubai. She joined in 2022 from the Associated Press, where she was an editor and reporter for over 11 years.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.