Taez, Yemen, Nov 5 (AFP/APP): Mounds of stinking garbage line the streets of Yemen’s historic city of Taez, once renowned as one of the most beautiful places in the country, but now torn apart by war.
The city in the highlands of southwestern Yemen has become a breeding ground for mosquitos as well as deadly outbreaks of diseases like cholera, as decaying refuse leaches into waterways.
Yemen, long the poorest country in the Arabian Peninsula, has been mired in conflict since the Iran-aligned Huthi rebels swept into the capital Sanaa in a 2014 offensive, sparking a military intervention by a Saudi-led coalition.
While Taez is controlled by pro-government forces, it is under siege from the Huthis who control the mountains that surround the city, from where they have launched repeated bombardments.
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While all of Yemen has suffered from the war, Taez is particularly hard-hit. Barely any schools are able to function, fresh water is scarce, and it is difficult to bring in supplies including essentials like food.
Trapped within the city limits, Taez’s more than 600,000 people are suffering as garbage mounts up, choking roads and canals.
Mounds of brightly coloured plastic, old tyres, boxes and shredded plastic lie in smouldering piles or heaped in dumpsters — a far cry from the days as far back as medieval times when Taez was lauded for its beauty and scale.
