In a four-part series, The National reflects on a decade of war in Yemen, uncovering 10 years of conflict that has torn apart families, lives and livelihoods
As a young newlywed Yemeni farmer, Abdulilah Abdullah's main concern was ensuring that his 500-square-metre patch of crops thrived, providing enough food for his future family. He would wake up at 6am with his wife, have breakfast and they would then head to the farm together to tend to their modest field until lunch. Their day would continue in the field until it came to a close with the setting sun.
But on December 19, 2019 – amid the government's war against the Houthi rebels, five years after they stormed Sanaa – Abdulilah’s fate in Al Dalea' governorate south of the capital changed for ever, forcing him to abandon his dreams and seek survival over stability. The war reached his four-bedroom home, and he was caught in the crossfire.
“We ran out of the house with nothing on our backs. I was shot in my arm,” he told The National from a remote, barren land where his home is now a tent, and his neighbours are displaced people like him.
He was rushed to a field hospital near a tyre repair shop on a motorway – a medical centre used at the time to treat fighters wounded by the Houthi rebels on the front lines. After two more trips to the hospital, Abdulilah's right arm had to be amputated below the elbow.
He is one of the millions of Yemenis who have been suffering in silence and near abandonment since the war broke out in the impoverished country 10 years ago, leading to one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. According to the most recent figures from the World Health Organisation , more than 4.8 million of Yemen’s 30 million people live with at least one physical disability, though the actual number is thought to be even higher.
The conflict between the Houthis and the government has resulted in widespread destruction, poverty, and a collapse of basic services. Hospitals and infrastructure have been devastated, and cholera outbreaks have further strained the already fragile health system. Many Yemenis suffer in silence, with international aid struggling to collect funds and reach those in need, leaving millions on the brink of starvation and survival.
The continuing wars in Gaza, Sudan and other regions risk overshadowing the suffering in Yemen, causing many to forget the devastating conflict that has ravaged the country for nearly a decade and seems to be far from ending.
Abdulilah, now a father of two, sobs over the life he has had to adapt to. Meanwhile, his children have grown up never knowing what their father looked like with two arms. “I am unable to do anything for my family," he told The National.
“When I walk with my two-year-old son, Abdullah, he holds my hand. When my three-year-old daughter, Amira, tries to hold the other – she looks up at me in disappointment when she realises there’s nothing there. That look in her eyes destroys me."
'Happy Yemen'
Since the Houthi takeover, the poorest country on the Arabian Peninsula, known for its world-class coffee beans and golden honey, has effectively been divided into two parts: the north, where the rebels control the majority of the land, and the south, which remains under the internationally recognised government. In 2015, a Saudi-led coalition launched a war at the request of the government to reclaim territory. Life in the place previously known as "Happy Yemen" became anything but – and the situation in the country deteriorated.
The UN warns that Yemen is at risk of a large-scale famine, with hunger particularly widespread among internally displaced people, many of whom live in areas so remote that even aid groups struggle to reach them. In some cases, workers must trek for up to five hours on foot or rely on camels and donkeys to deliver small quantities of aid to those in need.
As the most vulnerable members of society, women and children bear the heaviest burden of this hardship. At least 2.4 million children, half of them under the age of five, are acutely malnourished, and five million children require life-saving interventions due to starvation, a crisis that shocks even the most experienced humanitarian workers.
Save the Children's Claire Nicoll said she could not keep her expression neutral when she saw 18-month-old Leila, whose mother, Rayah, had already lost one child to hunger. Rayah was struggling with a dilemma that she posed to Ms Nicoll: spend all her money on transportation to take her daughter to the hospital, or use what little she has to feed her other children. "I had no answer to her question," said Ms Nicoll.
Many factors have contributed to Yemen's hardships. The country that overlooks the Red Sea imports 70 per cent of its food needs through three main ports, making ordinary citizens vulnerable to global events. For instance, the 2022 war in Ukraine significantly contributed to global inflation due to Ukraine's key role in food supply chains. This impact was especially severe in Yemen, which sourced 20 per cent of its wheat from Ukraine before the war with Russia.
The Red Sea port of Hodeidah is the most crucial, as most of Yemen's wheat, food, fuel, and humanitarian aid are imported through this terminal. It is a lifeline for millions of Yemenis who depend on it for survival. After the start of Israel's war in Gaza last year, the Houthis began launching attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea in support of their ally, Hamas. Months later, they targeted Israel, prompting an Israeli retaliation on Hodeidah that killed at least 80 people, causing explosions and fires, and severely damaging the port.
When food and commodities enter Yemen, they are sold at exorbitant prices mainly because of insurance costs. In some places, prices have gone up by 300 per cent compared to what they were before the war, causing a "historic high" of 62 per cent of Yemen's households to eat less than they need, the World Food Programme said in a July report.
Additionally, unemployment is widespread, and the fate of public servants, including teachers and healthcare workers, has been uncertain for years. The warring factions continue to dispute the funding source for their salaries and which payroll will be used to identify the beneficiaries. The latest UN figures show that 82.7 per cent of the population lives in poverty, putting further strain on sick or wounded civilians in need of healthcare.
It appears help is not coming any time soon. UN assistance to Yemen in 2024 is only 29 per cent funded, leaving a $1.91 billion gap, as global attention shifts to newer crises like the wars in Sudan, Ukraine and Gaza. As a result, critical life-saving programmes have been scaled back or even suspended, and most Yemenis can no longer afford to buy essential goods. "One bag of flour costs 44,000 riyals [$175.74]," said Abdulilah.
Hidden death traps
A displaced amputee like Abdulilah could be considered lucky because he did not have to pay for the medical treatment he received in 2019 when he was first injured. The field hospital he was rushed to provided him with treatment free of charge. It is the only one of its kind in the entire governorate of Al Dalea', where 800,000 people live alongside more than 11,000 internally displaced people.
Today, it has become a fully fledged facility called the Mohamed bin Zayed hospital, which has treated and referred hundreds of cases like his. According to its director, Dr Sameeh Hazzam, it now has a capacity of 23 beds, six emergency rooms, an operating theatre, radiology capabilities, laboratory equipment and a prosthetics department which would have benefited Abdulilah had it existed at the time of his injury.
But the need for medical assistance in Yemen is overwhelming. Out of a population of 30 million, 17.8 million people – half of them children and a quarter women – require some form of health assistance. The crumbling healthcare system and the Houthi ban on vaccines have resulted in infectious diseases like polio, dengue and measles spreading again. The absence of a systematic nationwide vaccination scheme has left 28 per cent of Yemen's children completely unvaccinated.
Recognising the need for proper healthcare, the team behind the Mohamed bin Zayed hospital has been offering its services free of charge. “This was the case since day one due to the abysmal economic situation in Yemen and the impact the war has had on livelihoods,” Dr Hazzam said.
The need for such a facility extends beyond the peak of the war. Long after the fighting ceases, one enduring legacy of the conflict will continue to menace civilians: landmines.
Experts consider Yemen one of the most mined countries in the world, with the third highest number of landmine casualties globally, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The Saudi Project Masam, which has been working on removing mines since 2018, has so far cleared more than 450,000 mines across the country, primarily in territories once occupied by the Houthi rebels.
With 37 per cent of Yemen’s population relying on agriculture for their livelihood, many choose to return home when the fighting stops in their towns and villages, hoping to rebuild their lives by restoring what was lost. However, they often find that their homes have become disguised war zones, littered with hidden mines that can claim a leg, limb, or life at any moment.
Children are often the biggest victims. Mines have killed more children than direct conflict during the 10-year war, according to a UN report. Others, like 13-year-old Rasha Mahmoud, who lost her leg after stepping on a mine in 2020, live to tell their story.
“I was on the way home with my brother after we went out to buy things. I stepped on a mine and it exploded. My brother was badly injured,” she said, a sock with a flower design on her prosthetic showing under a black abaya. Rasha, who was speaking to Project Masam in video testimony, says she wishes she did not have to walk long distances to school, as the long walk wears her out.
Some kids are not as lucky as Rasha and do not have access to prosthetics. Twelve-year-old Alaa Hassan’s small body instead relies on wooden walking sticks, worn out by gravel paths, which he carries with both hands. The last time he ran was the day he lost his leg. “I’m afraid of going out to play with my friends again so that another mine doesn’t explode on me,” he said.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More on animal trafficking
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The five pillars of Islam
Fighting with My Family
Director: Stephen Merchant
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Nick Frost, Lena Headey, Florence Pugh, Thomas Whilley, Tori Ellen Ross, Jack Lowden, Olivia Bernstone, Elroy Powell
Four stars
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ALRAWABI%20SCHOOL%20FOR%20GIRLS
%3Cp%3ECreator%3A%20Tima%20Shomali%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%C2%A0Tara%20Abboud%2C%C2%A0Kira%20Yaghnam%2C%20Tara%20Atalla%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Earth under attack: Cosmic impacts throughout history
- 4.5 billion years ago: Mars-sized object smashes into the newly-formed Earth, creating debris that coalesces to form the Moon
- 66 million years ago: 10km-wide asteroid crashes into the Gulf of Mexico, wiping out over 70 per cent of living species – including the dinosaurs.
- 50,000 years ago: 50m-wide iron meteor crashes in Arizona with the violence of 10 megatonne hydrogen bomb, creating the famous 1.2km-wide Barringer Crater
- 1490: Meteor storm over Shansi Province, north-east China when large stones “fell like rain”, reportedly leading to thousands of deaths.
- 1908: 100-metre meteor from the Taurid Complex explodes near the Tunguska river in Siberia with the force of 1,000 Hiroshima-type bombs, devastating 2,000 square kilometres of forest.
- 1998: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 breaks apart and crashes into Jupiter in series of impacts that would have annihilated life on Earth.
-2013: 10,000-tonne meteor burns up over the southern Urals region of Russia, releasing a pressure blast and flash that left over 1600 people injured.
Normcore explained
Something of a fashion anomaly, normcore is essentially a celebration of the unremarkable. The term was first popularised by an article in New York magazine in 2014 and has been dubbed “ugly”, “bland’ and "anti-style" by fashion writers. It’s hallmarks are comfort, a lack of pretentiousness and neutrality – it is a trend for those who would rather not stand out from the crowd. For the most part, the style is unisex, favouring loose silhouettes, thrift-shop threads, baseball caps and boyish trainers. It is important to note that normcore is not synonymous with cheapness or low quality; there are high-fashion brands, including Parisian label Vetements, that specialise in this style. Embraced by fashion-forward street-style stars around the globe, it’s uptake in the UAE has been relatively slow.
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
The years Ramadan fell in May
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
More from our neighbourhood series:
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Zayed Sustainability Prize
FA Cup semi-finals
Saturday: Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur, 8.15pm (UAE)
Sunday: Chelsea v Southampton, 6pm (UAE)
Matches on Bein Sports
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The years Ramadan fell in May
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
A cryptocurrency primer for beginners
Cryptocurrency Investing for Dummies – by Kiana Danial
There are several primers for investing in cryptocurrencies available online, including e-books written by people whose credentials fall apart on the second page of your preferred search engine.
Ms Danial is a finance coach and former currency analyst who writes for Nasdaq. Her broad-strokes primer (2019) breaks down investing in cryptocurrency into baby steps, while explaining the terms and technologies involved.
Although cryptocurrencies are a fast evolving world, this book offers a good insight into the game as well as providing some basic tips, strategies and warning signs.
Begin your cryptocurrency journey here.
Available at Magrudy’s , Dh104
Meydan race card
6.30pm: Baniyas (PA) Group 2 Dh125,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,200m
7.40pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,400m
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh170,000 (D) 1,900m
8.50pm: Rated Conditions (TB) Dh240,000 (D) 1,600m
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh175,000 (D)1,200m
10pm: Handicap (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,400m
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Blue%20Beetle
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Angel%20Manuel%20Soto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EXolo%20Mariduena%2C%20Adriana%20Barraza%2C%20Damian%20Alcazar%2C%20Raoul%20Max%20Trujillo%2C%20Susan%20Sarandon%2C%20George%20Lopez%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Bharat
Director: Ali Abbas Zafar
Starring: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Sunil Grover
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
The%20Killer
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EDavid%20Fincher%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EMichael%20Fassbender%2C%20Tilda%20Swinton%2C%20Charles%20Parnell%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
F1 2020 calendar
March 15 - Australia, Melbourne; March 22 - Bahrain, Sakhir; April 5 - Vietnam, Hanoi; April 19 - China, Shanghai; May 3 - Netherlands, Zandvoort; May 20 - Spain, Barcelona; May 24 - Monaco, Monaco; June 7 - Azerbaijan, Baku; June 14 - Canada, Montreal; June 28 - France, Le Castellet; July 5 - Austria, Spielberg; July 19 - Great Britain, Silverstone; August 2 - Hungary, Budapest; August 30 - Belgium, Spa; September 6 - Italy, Monza; September 20 - Singapore, Singapore; September 27 - Russia, Sochi; October 11 - Japan, Suzuka; October 25 - United States, Austin; November 1 - Mexico City, Mexico City; November 15 - Brazil, Sao Paulo; November 29 - Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi.
Sly%20Cooper%20and%20the%20Thievius%20Raccoonus
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sucker%20Punch%20Productions%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sony%20Computer%20Entertainment%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsole%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PlayStation%202%20to%205%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%205%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The%20Genius%20of%20Their%20Age
%3Cp%3EAuthor%3A%20S%20Frederick%20Starr%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20Oxford%20University%20Press%3Cbr%3EPages%3A%20290%3Cbr%3EAvailable%3A%20January%2024%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
On sale: Now
PAKISTAN v SRI LANKA
Twenty20 International series
Thu Oct 26, 1st T20I, Abu Dhabi
Fri Oct 27, 2nd T20I, Abu Dhabi
Sun Oct 29, 3rd T20I, Lahore
Tickets are available at www.q-tickets.com
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
More coverage from the Future Forum
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
More on Quran memorisation:
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
