In Pictures

Surviving Yemen’s war in a rubbish dump

A garbage heap has become a source of food for hundreds of Yemenis as the three-year war threatens millions with famine.

Ayoub Mohammed Ruzaiq (R), 11, and his family members pose for a photograph outside their hut next to a garbage dump where they collect recyclables and food near the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, Yem — The Ruzaiq family outside their hut next to a rubbish dump where they collect discarded food and recyclables near Yemen's Red Sea port city of Hudaida. [Abduljabbar Zeyad/Reuters]

After relentless Saudi-led air raids near their home in northwest Yemen, the Ruzaiq family packed up their belongings and fled to the relative safety of Hudaida port on the Red Sea.

But with no money or relatives to shelter them, the 18-member family joined a growing number of displaced Yemenis living on or next to the rubbish dump of the Houthi-controlled city.

Despite the health risks, the dump has become a source of food for hundreds of impoverished Yemenis and given young men a chance to earn an income.

“We eat and drink the food that is thrown away,” said Ayoub Mohammed Ruzaiq, 11. “We collect fish, meat, potatoes, onions and flour to make our own food.”

The United Nations estimates more than two million people have been displaced by the war, which intensified in 2015 when an Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia intervened to try to restore President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to power after Houthi rebels forced him into exile.

The war has killed more than 10,000 people, crippled the economy, caused a cholera epidemic that has killed nearly 2,000 people and pushed the country to the verge of famine.

The Saudi-led coalition denies accusations that it targets civilians or civilian property in its military operations. Riyadh sees the Houthis as a proxy militia linked to regional rival Iran.

Both Iran and the Houthis deny any military cooperation.

Family patriarch Mohammed Ruzaiq, 67, said Yemenis were not asking for any aid from outside, just a goodwill effort to end the war.

“All we want is for them to stop this war and this calamity and God Almighty will provide for us,” he said.

People collect recyclables and food at a garbage dump near the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, Yemen — "We eat and drink the food that is thrown away," said Ayoub Mohammed Ruzaiq, 11. "We collect fish, meat, potatoes, onions and flour to make our own food." [Abduljabbar Zeyad/Reuters]

Ayoub Mohammed Ruzaiq, 11, holds green peppers he found at a garbage dump near the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, Yemen, January 09, 2018. "We eat and drink the food that is thrown away," said Ayoub. — Ayoub holds green peppers he found in the garbage. [Abduljabbar Zeyad/Reuters]

Food is stored in a broken refrigerator belonging to 18-member Ruzaiq family who live next to a garbage dump where they collect recyclables and food near the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, Yemen, Janu — The family stores the food they find in a broken refrigerator. [Abduljabbar Zeyad/Reuters]

Members of Ruzaiq family sit for the breakfast outside their hut next to a garbage dump where they collect recyclables and food near the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, Yemen — Ruzaiq family have breakfast outside their hut. [Abduljabbar Zeyad/Reuters]

Ayoub Mohammed Ruzaiq, 11, performs a prayer outside his family''s hut next to a garbage dump where he collects recyclables and food near the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, Yemen, January 14, 2018. "We — Ayoub prays outside his family's hut. "All we want is for them to stop this war and this calamity and God Almighty will provide for us," said Ayoub's father. [Abduljabbar Zeyad/Reuters]

A girl sleeps in a hammock as her sister lies on a makeshift bed in the Ruzaiq family''s hut next to a garbage dump where they collect recyclables and food near the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, Yemen — A girl sleeps in a hammock as her sister lies on a makeshift bed in the Ruzaiq family's hut earlier this month. [Abduljabbar Zeyad/Reuters]

Ayoub Mohammed Ruzaiq, 11, lies in his family''s hut next to a garbage dump where he collects recyclables and food near the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, Yemen, January 09, 2018. "We eat and drink the — Yemen's three-year war has left millions of people facing famine. [Abduljabbar Zeyad/Reuters]