Yemeni families’ search for missing loved ones hindered by new fighting

Sanaa, Yemen – In 2020, 18-year-old Munif bid farewell to his family and left his home in Sanaa to fight with the Houthis on the front lines of Yemen’s civil warAfter six months, all of his comrades went back to their families, but Munif never returned home.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3‘We no longer eat three meals’: Yemen’s displaced face daily fight for foodlist 2 of 3Yemen’s displaced children dream of returning to schoollist 3 of 3At least 139 dead, 84 missing as migrant boat capsizes off Djiboutiend of listMore than six years have passed, and Munif’s family, who asked to use just his first name for security reasons, are still searching for answers about his fate.He is one of hundreds of people who have disappeared in Yemen since war broke out in September 2014, when the Houthis – an armed group also known as Ansar Allah (Arabic for Supporters of God) – captured the capital and forced the internationally-recognised government to flee south.“Ten other men from our village joined the front line on the Saudi-Yemen border. All of them came back. We asked them about my brother’s whereabouts, but none could tell us where he had gone,” said Mohammed, Munif’s brother. ...