At the Carnegie website, Ahmed Nagi has published the first of a series of photo essays on his recent trip to Yemen—in this case on the city and governorate of Marib. Controlled by foes of the Houthis, Marib is a front line in the battle against the group and has attracted many who have been harmed by Houthi policies. Though Marib has been transformed by the influx of people, becoming a bustling city, the peace there appears fragile to Nagi. He concludes, “Perhaps it is the common resilience of the people that sets the city apart. Even so, no one can anticipate whether Marib will remain a stable exception or turn into another example of failed governance. It is certainly a place to watch, with potential lessons for other parts of Yemen.”
commentary
An Island of Stability?
Though it is a front line in the battle against the Houthis, Marib city is bustling.
by Ahmed Nagi
Published on August 1, 2019
More work from Diwan
- commentaryAssad’s Downfall Echoes Across the Mediterranean
In eastern Libya, Khalifa Haftar had close ties with the Syrian dictator, and has now lost a soulmate.
- commentaryAnatomy of a Military Fall
Why did Bashar al-Assad’s armed forces fail to act, unlike those in Egypt, Libya, Algeria, and Sudan?
- commentaryEastern Syria After Assad
The SDF has expanded its control over Deir al-Zor, but may soon find itself overstretched and facing Turkish allies.
- Wladimir van Wilgenburg
- commentaryBashar al-Assad of Syria Has Been Ousted From Power
Spot analysis from Carnegie scholars on events relating to the Middle East and North Africa.
- commentaryWhy Did Iran Allow Bashar al-Assad’s Downfall?
Tehran may have assumed there would be opportunities to exploit in Syria’s likely instability in the future.