By Micah Jonah
February 25, 2026
At least 16 people, including eight women and children, have died following a collision between a passenger bus and a truck in southern Yemen, local authorities have confirmed.
The accident occurred in the Lahmar area of Al-Mahfad district along a major route linking Abyan and Shabwa provinces. Security officials said the crash happened on a dangerous bend in the road.
According to reports, the bus burst into flames immediately after impact, leaving no survivors among the passengers. Authorities attributed the fire to the vehicle’s use of gas fuel, which ignited following the collision. Improper overtaking was also cited as a contributing factor.
The incident is described as the second-deadliest traffic accident in Yemen in recent years and the worst recorded so far in 2026.
Last year, 17 people were killed in a separate crash on a mountain road in Abyan province.
Observers have linked the high rate of fatal road accidents in Yemen to poor road infrastructure, challenging terrain and the prolonged conflict that has damaged transport networks across the country.
Yemen has faced years of instability since 2014, when Houthi fighters seized control of large parts of the country, including the capital, Sanaa.
