Could Yemen conflict get worse?

(The Christian Science Monitor) Amid a dramatic uptick in violence, the conflict in Yemen is sinking deeper into sectarianism, scholars and analysts warn, including deadly suicide attacks in Sanaa claimed by the local franchise of the self-described Islamic State.

In the attacks Friday targeting two mosques frequented by Zaydi Shi‘a worshippers in the capital, suicide bombers killed 142 people and wounded hundreds.

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, which is well-established in Yemen but says it draws the line at the targeting of mosques and public places, distanced itself from the bombings. But the local affiliate of rival Sunni jihadist group IS claimed responsibility for the attack— first in Yemen. Experts said they regarded the claim as credible.