Crowds gather for anniversary of funeral hall bombing

(8 Oct 2017) LEAD IN: Yemenis in Sanaa have been marking the first anniversary of an air strike which killed 140 people. The Saudi-led coalition bomb hit a funeral hall last year in what was one of the country's worst ever losses in the ongoing civil war. STORY-LINE: Pictures of the dead line the wall of the Great Hall in Sanaa. It is one year since more than 140 mourners were killed when a bomb dropped by the Saudi-led coalition hit the packed funeral hall. More than 500 people were also injured in the strike. Today, dignitaries and other Yemenis are marking the first anniversary of one of the country's deadliest attacks. They pray together and government ministers visit the site which still lies in ruins after the bombing. "We first extend condolences to the families of the martyrs. We pray to Allah to have complete mercy upon the martyrs and to let them live in his paradise," says Galal Al-Ruaishan, Interior Minister and organiser of event. "We wish healing to the injured. A number of wounded are still being treated despite the passing of a whole year." A monstrous version of the Statue of Liberty looms over visitors to the bomb site - the message clear that people blame the United States for its support of the Saudi coalition. Abdulaziz bin Habtoor, head of Yemen's so-called 'National Salvation Government', which was established late last year by the Houthi militia and their allies, joins the commemorations. He calls the strike a "crime" by "Saudi and Emirati aggressive forces". And the children are a reminder that they too are victims of the attack. They hold posters of their loved ones who were killed that day - fathers, brothers and other relatives whom they must learn to live without. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...