- Title: YEMEN-SECURITY/TAIZ Yemen's Taiz city is quiet during Ramadan amid conflict
- Date: 20th June 2015
- Summary: TAIZ , YEMEN (JUNE 19, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE RUNNING IN THE MARKET MAN CLOSING PHARMACY A MAN AND WOMAN RUNNING MAN CLOSING HIS STORE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TAIZ RESIDENT, ABDUL AZIZ SULTAN, SAYING: "As you see now, all the streets are empty, unlike the previous years when we had security, social conditions were good and shops were open. Now, we have street wars.
- Embargoed: 5th July 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Yemen
- Country: Yemen
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA9Q1JGS5YMGVMKM3OBVK9PRF92
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: On the first Friday (June 19) since the start of Muslim holy month of Ramadan, the city of Taiz in Yemen looked like a ghost town amid street fighting.
There were few shoppers in the market and owners downed shutters early.
Fighting has been going on between Houthi rebels and fighters aligned with exiled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
Residents have either fled or were hiding inside their homes for fear of Saudi-led air strikes and sniper shots.
"All the streets are empty, unlike the previous years when we had security, social conditions were good and shops were open. Now, we have street wars... sniper wars, possible death or strikes at any given moment," said resident Abdul Aziz Sultan.
"It used to be that there was no space to walk on the street. This year, there are only dogs and garbage," said Abdoh Ali.
One merchant said people were fearful of snipers.
A Saudi-led coalition has been launching air raids against the Iran-allied Houthis since late March in a campaign to restore the exiled government and back its armed supporters. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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