Castle seeks to defy one more war

SAADA, Yemen－It has been standing tall for more than 600 years. Al-Qashla Castle in Yemen's northern historic city of Saada has withstood conflicts through hundreds of years, and today is again trying to survive a war.

The castle stands on a hill at the heart of the city, one of the oldest medieval cities in Yemen.

Many of the mud brick high-rise houses of the historic city have been razed to the ground by the bombing raids. Now the castle stands as testimony to the tragedy and the war's massive human loss.

The castle has been closed to visitors since the war erupted five years ago between the internationally recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and the Houthi rebel group.

The castle was the top popular destination for local visitors and tourists from all over the world before the civil war erupted.

"This is al-Qashla castle, one of the historic Saada city's most famous landmarks. We were forced to close it as a precautionary movement in order not to be targeted …because they strike everything inside the city," said Abdo Hassan Gatum, a resident and general manager of the Antiquities Office of Saada.

"The castle was the first destination for visitors and tourists wishing to explore the city of Saada, because it overlooks the city. From there, the entire historical city can be seen."

The historic city lies on a wide area surrounded by a high wall with four gates.

The bombing destroyed many houses in the city, and caused severe damage to others that have not yet been repaired. The city also requires some maintenance and restoration work, including for the castle.

The city is still controlled by the Houthi group, which also holds sway over large parts of Saada Province. It is loved not only by the residents but all Yemenis, and even by children who know little about its history.

"I am one of the sons of the historic Saada city and this great building of the al-Qashla Castle needs care. I call on the concerned authorities to take good care of the castle and the whole historic city," said resident Sadiq Ahsan.

The war erupted in late 2014, when the Iran-backed Houthi group seized control of much of the country's north and forced Hadi's Saudi-backed government out of the capital Sanaa.

The Houthis triggered the intervention of the Saudi-led military coalition in the Yemeni conflict on March 26, 2015, to support Hadi's government.

The grinding war has entered its sixth year with no end in sight.

The United Nations is trying to help end the Yemeni war that has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced 3 million, destroyed infrastructure, triggered deadly epidemics and pushed over 20 million to the brink of starvation.

Xinhua