Aden: Abu Mohammed fusses over the donkeys he is selling in war-torn Yemen, where the animal has become a must-have commodity at a time of biting fuel and currency crises.
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Yemenis have resorted to using donkeys to transport water and goods, as the conflict that has ravaged the economy for more than five years leaves gas-guzzling SUVs out of reach for most.
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"The higher the price of fuel and costs of living, the more demand there is for donkeys," said Mohammed, as he saddled up along a garbage-strewn road in the southern port city of Aden.
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No part of Yemen has been spared the conflict, in which Iran-backed Huthi rebels have captured swathes of the north from the internationally-recognised government.
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As Yemen sinks deeper into crisis, the UN estimates three quarters of its 29-million population is dependent on aid, in what it calls the worst humanitarian crisis on earth.
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A litre (a quarter of a gallon) of petrol now sells for $0.50, in an oil-producing country where teachers earn less than $25 a month. Yemen's currency keeps depreciating - it is currently at over 800 riyals to the US dollar on the black market, compared to 610 riyals in January.
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In Aden, built partly on a volcanic site called Crater, the use of donkeys was long the norm for the hilly coastal district before modern means of transport.
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Now, in the 21st century, children on donkeys transporting heavy loads and jerrycans of water have once again become a common sight.
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The 38-year-old father of nine, who looks far older than his years, turned to donkey trading two years ago after he lost his job. Business has since boomed.
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But as queues at petrol stations stretch longer and demand for donkeys rises, the price of the animal is also going up.
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