Yemeni artists paint their hopes for peace

An artists' collective in Yemen holds an exhibition to help alleviate the pain of people exhausted by years of war.

A man works on a mural on the southern wall of Sanaa University during the Open Day of Art event.
TRT World and Agencies

A man works on a mural on the southern wall of Sanaa University during the Open Day of Art event.

A warplane firing missiles. A gunman taking aim. A map of Yemen dripping with blood.

A group of Yemeni artists took to the streets on Wednesday, painting murals on the wall of Sanaa University in a visual protest against the war.

The exhibition and a workshop were aimed at locals exhausted by a conflict with no end in sight.

"I came here with my family to express how fed up we are with the way we're living because of the war," said Fouad Sharfeddin.

"This event gives us a breather and hope for a return to a normal life."

TRT World's Clinton Nagoor has this story about the event.

War, destruction, famine

The war between pro-government forces and Shia Houthi rebels who control the capital Sanaa has devastated Yemen and pushed it to the brink of famine.

Iran-allied Houthi fighters overran Sanaa in 2014, forcing the Saudi-backed government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to flee into exile.

In 2015, a Saudi-led coalition started a campaign to oust the Houthis. Since then, the UN says the fighting has killed at least 7,400 people and wounded 40,000, devastating the country's economy.

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