Taiz, Yemen – A week before the latest fighting erupted around Taiz, southern Yemen, Ahmed al-Mikhlafi left the city with his wife and three children to perform Umrah in Mecca.

But when the family returned, they found themselves stranded in the western countryside of Taiz, unable to reach the city where their home and Ahmed’s job were.

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The Houthis’ siege on Taiz has now lasted 30 days and affected hundreds of thousands of people in the area. The United Nations has repeatedly warned of a catastrophe inside the city, where supplies of food and medicine are becoming increasingly scarce.

“While we were in Mecca, fighting broke out and our city was once again placed under a complete siege by the Houthis.…