Between April and December 2022, I worked as an aid worker in Aden, Yemen’s internationally recognized capital. The northern region of Yemen is presently under the governance of the Shiite Houthi faction, known for its affiliations with Iran, whereas the southern territories, including Aden, are significantly influenced by the countries comprising the Saudi-led Gulf coalition.

In March 2015, the Houthis invaded Aden, a city predominantly inhabited by Sunni residents. They were compelled to retreat from Aden in July of the same year due to armed resistance that was supported by Saudi airstrikes and special forces from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

My trip to Yemen was for a health project that did not involve sensitive political matters. Nevertheless, the Yemeni staff of the organization employing me had to navigate an extensive bureaucratic process to obtain the necessary documents from several government ministries and the office of the Arab Alliance, representing the de facto leaders of southern Yemen who govern from Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.