Hayat, 14, the daughter of a member of the pro-government forces walks with her cousin around tents at a new displacement camp in Marib province. Asmaa Waguih for The National
Hayat, 14, the daughter of a member of the pro-government forces walks with her cousin around tents at a new displacement camp in Marib province. Asmaa Waguih for The National
Hayat, 14, the daughter of a member of the pro-government forces walks with her cousin around tents at a new displacement camp in Marib province. Asmaa Waguih for The National
Hayat, 14, the daughter of a member of the pro-government forces walks with her cousin around tents at a new displacement camp in Marib province. Asmaa Waguih for The National

Meet the people of Marib, the unlikely tent-filled haven in war-torn Yemen


  • English
  • Arabic

In the past six years there has been an influx of two million Yemenis to Marib and its surrounding towns as people flee fighting or persecution by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

Once an almost forgotten outpost ruled by tribes, the city is now considered a safe haven. The Yemeni government's Executive Unit for Managing Displacement Camps estimates that 65 per cent of the country's internally displaced people now live in the province, either in tented camps or rented accommodation.

Fawwaz, a hotel employee from Ebb province, which has been controlled by the Houthis since October 2014, came to Marib to work for an oil pipeline company in 2008. He said the area has undergone a stunning transformation since then.

"The city [of Marib] was a village then, compared to nowadays," he told The National.

Internally displaced Yemenis gather around a humanitarian aid employee to register their names at a new displacement camp in Marib province. Asmaa Waguih for The National
Internally displaced Yemenis gather around a humanitarian aid employee to register their names at a new displacement camp in Marib province. Asmaa Waguih for The National

“There were no public services, no electricity, no roads, no parks, and there were only a couple of hotels, one hospital and one main road to connect to the capital. All these changes started in 2015.”

That year, Houthi rebels backed by Iran drove the internationally recognised government from the capital Sanaa, leading to a Saudi-led military coalition intervening.

The war has created what the UN has called the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, driving more than five million Yemenis from their homes.

The UN estimates that 100,000 have been killed, although local reports suggest the death toll could be double that.

I wanted to finish my studies but the Houthi militias were recruiting many young people by force. I escaped but now I can't go back after living in Marib

Marib remains under government control. Coalition funding helped to build large camps for the displaced and the city became a centre of military operations.

Fawwaz said that when he lost his job at the start of the conflict he returned to Ebb, but struggled to find work. Many jobs only began paying salaries after six months of labour.

Instead he moved his family back to Marib.

“Many people want to leave Ebb like me and come here, but they either can’t leave their family or don’t have proper ID cards,” Fawwaz said.

Proof of identification is required for Yemenis to leave and travel around Houthi-held areas.

Many people in the country do not possess forms of ID, he said.

Fawwaz and his family are not the only ones to seek a safer and more prosperous life in Marib. His family live in an apartment, but thousands of others fill the 136 tented camps on the outskirts of the city.

Al Sawida camp, about 15 kilometres from the centre of Marib, was built in early 2020. It houses more than 1,800 families, 560 arrived recently because of increased fighting in the area.

Despite sandstorms and a renewed Houthi offensive on the area, camp residents say they are in Marib to stay.

Former government soldier Al Ezzy Al Reemy joined the Saudi-backed pro-government forces to fight against the Houthis in Marib while his family was still in Sanaa.

When he left to visit the capital, he was arrested by the rebels and spent two years in prison, before being released in 2018 as part of a prisoner exchange.

He then took his family and came to Marib.

“Freedom is priceless,” said his 14-year-old daughter, Hayat.

Many women in the camps say they prefer “the hell of the tents rather than the Houthis’ paradise".

Others say they have no choice but to remain in the last government stronghold in the war-torn country’s north.

"If you stay in Marib, you're most probably getting into trouble when you go back to the Houthis," said Rashad, 23, from Dhamar.

He left his home in northern Yemen six years ago after the area was seized by the Houthis.

"I wanted to finish my studies but the Houthi militias were recruiting many young people by force," he said.

"I escaped but now I can’t go back after living in Marib. It's the main city for the pro-government forces."

He drives buses to pay for his rent and his fees at Marib University, where he studies business administration.

“I’ve never thought I could live in Marib. During the former regime, Marib was a popular place for outlaws; it was a no-man’s land and there were no services,” Rashad said.

Rashad, 23, takes a break after driving visitors to the site of the Queen of Sheba's throne, a temple in Marib. Asmaa Waguih for The National
Rashad, 23, takes a break after driving visitors to the site of the Queen of Sheba's throne, a temple in Marib. Asmaa Waguih for The National

“We believe Ali Abdullah Salih left it deserted like this especially after oil was discovered in order to keep people away from its wealth.”

The rapid change in the city has led to a shift in the culture, Wafi, a former teacher from Hajja said.

“Here everyone is equal, no matter your region of origin, or where are you from in Yemen, because in contrast to many cities in Yemen, in Marib there is law,” he said.

He was jailed by the Houthis for almost three years because he was critical of the rebels' restrictions on expression.

He now lives in two tents with his family of 15 at Al Jufaina camp. It is the biggest displacement camp in Marib and is home to 75,000 internally displaced people.

Residents say basic services in Marib are better than in other cities. But above all, they say Marib gives people some security to work and invest.

Pro-government fighters walk near the qat market in Marib province. Asmaa Waguih for The National
Pro-government fighters walk near the qat market in Marib province. Asmaa Waguih for The National

Marib has a key oil refinery that produces 90 per cent of the country’s liquefied petroleum.

"It's still a good place and a stable place to invest," Fawwaz said.

“The local tribesmen work to make the place safe and they were very hospitable towards those displaced by the war."

The tribes in Marib and northern Yemen play a decisive role in the conflict. When it began, they sided with the government.

After a long stalemate, the Houthis resumed their assault on Marib in February.

The rebels have hit the city and its outskirts with shells and missiles.

“The Houthis will still have trouble taking Marib. It is not only the coalition that won’t let them, we will all fight for the city if necessary,” Rashad said.

The battle for Marib - in pictures

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Game Of Thrones Season Seven: A Bluffers Guide

Want to sound on message about the biggest show on television without actually watching it? Best not to get locked into the labyrinthine tales of revenge and royalty: as Isaac Hempstead Wright put it, all you really need to know from now on is that there’s going to be a huge fight between humans and the armies of undead White Walkers.

The season ended with a dragon captured by the Night King blowing apart the huge wall of ice that separates the human world from its less appealing counterpart. Not that some of the humans in Westeros have been particularly appealing, either.

Anyway, the White Walkers are now free to cause any kind of havoc they wish, and as Liam Cunningham told us: “Westeros may be zombie land after the Night King has finished.” If the various human factions don’t put aside their differences in season 8, we could be looking at The Walking Dead: The Medieval Years

 

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China

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Japan

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Jigra
Director: Vasan Bala
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Rated: 3.5/5
Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance: the specs

Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 plus rear-mounted electric motor

Power: 843hp at N/A rpm

Torque: 1470Nm N/A rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 8.6L/100km

On sale: October to December

Price: From Dh875,000 (estimate)

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

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Director: Jesse Armstrong

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How to help

Donate towards food and a flight by transferring money to this registered charity's account.

Account name: Dar Al Ber Society

Account Number: 11 530 734

IBAN: AE 9805 000 000 000 11 530 734

Bank Name: Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank

To ensure that your contribution reaches these people, please send the copy of deposit/transfer receipt to: juhi.khan@daralber.ae

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Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?

Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.

They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.

“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.

He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.

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Cricket World Cup League Two
Nepal, Oman, United States tri-series
Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu
 
Fixtures
Wednesday February 5, Oman v Nepal
Thursday, February 6, Oman v United States
Saturday, February 8, United States v Nepal
Sunday, February 9, Oman v Nepal
Tuesday, February 11, Oman v United States
Wednesday, February 12, United States v Nepal

Table
The top three sides advance to the 2022 World Cup Qualifier.
The bottom four sides are relegated to the 2022 World Cup playoff

 1 United States 8 6 2 0 0 12 0.412
2 Scotland 8 4 3 0 1 9 0.139
3 Namibia 7 4 3 0 0 8 0.008
4 Oman 6 4 2 0 0 8 -0.139
5 UAE 7 3 3 0 1 7 -0.004
6 Nepal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 PNG 8 0 8 0 0 0 -0.458

ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand

UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final

How to become a Boglehead

Bogleheads follow simple investing philosophies to build their wealth and live better lives. Just follow these steps.

•   Spend less than you earn and save the rest. You can do this by earning more, or being frugal. Better still, do both.

•   Invest early, invest often. It takes time to grow your wealth on the stock market. The sooner you begin, the better.

•   Choose the right level of risk. Don't gamble by investing in get-rich-quick schemes or high-risk plays. Don't play it too safe, either, by leaving long-term savings in cash.

•   Diversify. Do not keep all your eggs in one basket. Spread your money between different companies, sectors, markets and asset classes such as bonds and property.

•   Keep charges low. The biggest drag on investment performance is all the charges you pay to advisers and active fund managers.

•   Keep it simple. Complexity is your enemy. You can build a balanced, diversified portfolio with just a handful of ETFs.

•   Forget timing the market. Nobody knows where share prices will go next, so don't try to second-guess them.

•   Stick with it. Do not sell up in a market crash. Use the opportunity to invest more at the lower price.

ELIO

Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett

Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

Why your domicile status is important

Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.

Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born. 

UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.

A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.