ZINJIBAR, Yemen — Last June, the Zinjibar town souk in Abyan province felt like an ancient cemetery. Footsteps were the only sound to be heard, and those who dared to brave the minefield left by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula did so with caution.
Today, the souk is vibrant like any other local souk in Yemen. Boisterous sellers and buyers passionately negotiate prices on every imaginable ware and crowds overflowing from the stalls make it very difficult to get by.