An explosion in Yemen has killed 14 children and critically injured 16.

It happened in the city of Sana'a on Sunday, UNICEF has said.

The UN children's group said it was able to verify the 14 deaths, with the actual number of children killed and injured "likely to increase."

Peter Power, UNICEF Ireland executive director, said: "The critically injured children, many of whom are fighting for their lives, are now in hospitals in Sana'a.

"Most are under the age of nine. One girl succumbed to her injuries yesterday morning."

"The incident occurred near two schools."

"It was almost lunch time and students were in class. The blast shattered the windows and unleashed a burst of shrapnel and broken glass into the classrooms."

"It is hard to imagine the sheer horror that those children experienced - and the sheer horror and guilt parents may feel for having done what every parent aspires to - sending their children to school.

"Killing and maiming children are grave violations of children's rights."

For more than four years, the country has been grappling with a brutal conflict between supporters of Yemeni President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi and Houthi opposition groups.

The war has plunged the country in what the United Nations considers to be the world's worst humanitarian crisis - with four out of five Yemenis in need of some form of humanitarian assistance and protection.

In 2018, humanitarian organisations reported an average of 45 incidents of armed violence each week.

Thousands of civilians were killed last year, including close to 1,000 children.

The funding requirements for the 2019 humanitarian response in Yemen stand at US$4.2bn (€3.72bn) to assist more than 20 million Yemenis.

This includes 10 million people who rely entirely on humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs every month.

So far, the UN has said only 6% of the required funds have been received.

Main image: Yemeni people take part in a rally against a Saudi-led coalition airstrike on Yemen's rebel-held capital Sanaa on Sunday | Image: unreguser/Xinhua News Agency/PA Images