IS suicide bomber kills 54 in Aden attack

Drives a car laden with explosives into a compound run by local militias.

Soldiers and people gather at the site of an attack by a suicide bomber who drove a car laden with explosives into a compound run by local militias in the southern port city of Aden, Yemen. Photo: Reuters

A suicide bomber killed at least 54 people when he drove a car laden with explosives into a compound run by local militias in Aden on Monday, Medicins Sans Frontieres said, in one of the deadliest attacks in the southern Yemeni port city.

The official said at least 60 other people were brought into a nearby hospital run by the medical charity in Aden's Mansoura district.

Meanwhile, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing and said the attack killed about 60 new recruits, according to the group's Amaq news agency.

A security source said the attack targeted a school compound where conscripts of the Popular Committees, forces allied to the internationally recognised President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, were gathered for breakfast.

Debris fly, residents flee

The blast rocked the area and sent debris flying, sending residents fleeing, one witness said.

Islamist militants have exploited an 18-month-old civil war between the Houthis and Mr. Hadi's supporters and launched a series of attacks targeting senior officials, religious figures, security forces and compounds of the Saudi-led Arab military coalition which supports Mr. Hadi.