Review: The agony of Yemen’s ‘forgotten’ war

This sensitive oral history of the conflict’s early years forgoes political analysis to reveal the suffering endured by all Yemenis, says Helen Lackner.

The World Today
3 minute READ

What Have You Left Behind? 
Bushra al-Maqtari (translator Sawad Hussain), Fitzcarraldo Editions, £12.99

The conflict in Yemen, when mentioned at all, is often described as the ‘forgotten’ war. It is taking place in a remote, largely unknown country and lacks features that would attract western attention. The country has few hydro-carbon resources, and few Yemenis appear in the large numbers of refugees heading to Europe. The influence of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – the main external states involved – discourages public attention.

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