November 2, 2017, Day 1: It's just after midnight. We wartenseit five hours in a transit lounge at Cairo airport. "Flight 607Kairo-Seiyun" is available on our tickets from Yemenia Airways. "Departure 2:00a. M.". But it is still unclear wher any pretext does not appear at last minute to leave us on board.
We are a group of WestlicherJournalisten, American, British, French, German, Swiss. The Meistenvon have been trying for two years to travel to Yemen, which is being rubbed by EinenKrieg and a humanitarian catastrophe. Häufigsind airports of country locked and land is too risky, often re is simply no getting through.
A few weeks ago, anopportunity: Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies (SCSS), an independent Thinktank, had secured invitation of a governor, in whose province re is currently a degree of calm. At least compared to rest of country. The founders and employees of SCSS are young Yemenis, allesamtangesehene researchers, whose expertise ranges from Yemeni banking industry to DieKriegsökonomie to ramifications of local tribes. They sindwaghalsig enough to not research on and between fronts. And you are crazy enough to pilot a dozen journalists into country. Just so we can gain first-hand experience for a few days.
It's almost two o'clock in morning when plane lifts off – we sit incredulously in it. Around 6.30 a.m. local time, Yemenia Airways Flight 607 between gigantic Tafelbergenauf airport of Seiyun in province of Hadhramaut.
From now on: None of us tweets, posts or veröffentlichtirgendetwass about this journey as long as we are in country. We are auffälliggenug, even if journalists in group, including me, now have to cover inblack Abajas and hijab. We want to avoid fact that UnsereAufenthaltsorte can be pursued in social media. Al Qaeda is always active in this area.
The governor has a Empfangskomiteegeschickt: two pick-up trucks with militia and several kugelsichereGeländewagen with drivers. The 400 kilometre long route from Seiyun to Marib, our destination, is safe, we are told. In any case, armed escort.
Najj means driver of car, sitting in Demich. The Kalashnikov is clamped between seat and gear circuit, he explains during trip local architecture of region, price fluctuations BeimBenzin and he talks about his former life as a trader in Abu Dhabi.
We go furr out, mountains become flatter, we sehenZiegen and flocks of sheep. The animals are guarded by women with armhohen straw hats on fully veiled head for protection from heat. They are mild 30 degrees, autumn temperatures.
After four hours we reach city of Marib. Hotel, in which we are staying, has his best time behind him, staff has met for years KeinemAusländer more. There are questioning glances: are we real? Then great rays on side of Yemenis, tired smile on our faces. We are mittlerweile20 hours on our feet, can barely stand still. Matter. The Gouverneurwartet.
Date Of Update: 14 November 2017, 12:02
