Blockade in Yemen hits rural livestock trade, deepening economic crisis

By Mohammed Al Wafi

ANKARA (AA) – The ongoing blockade due to conflict in Yemen is causing a significant financial loss to rural farmers who are unable to sell their livestock due to restricted market access.

The protracted conflict in Yemen, now in its ninth year, has brought about severe consequences for the nation's economy, leaving rural farmers unable to sell their livestock due to the blockade.

As the country experiences economic collapse, coupled with fluctuations in prices and the devaluation of the local currency, the cost of meat has soared to alarming levels.

Roadside landmines planted by the Houthis have blocked routes to the cities, hindering Yemenis from selling their livestock.

The combination of economic turmoil and physical barriers has created a daunting scenario for farmers, exacerbating their economic woes and deepening the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

Yemen has been engulfed by violence and instability since 2014, when Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels captured much of the country, including the capital Sanaa. The situation escalated when a Saudi-led military coalition entered the war in 2015 to reverse Houthi military gains and reinstate the Yemeni government.

Since 2016, the Saudi-led coalition imposed a blockade on the Sanaa airport as part of its campaign against Houthi rebels.

The war-torn nation, however, began to witness a state of de-escalation recently after nine years of fighting amid efforts by the UN to settle the conflict.