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Sanaa’s green spaces ravaged by war

Yemen has lost a lot of its trees, shrubs and flowers since the beginning of the war in 2015, in what could make matters worse for Yemenis haunted by the specter of starvation.

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A truck carrying travelers passes by a checkpoint of the armed Houthi movement after it was hit by a Saudi-led airstrike near Sanaa, Yemen, Aug. 30, 2017. — REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah

SANAA, Yemen — In addition to the devastating human cost, the Yemeni capital Sanaa has lost 40% of its trees, green spaces and flowers since the beginning of the war in March 2015.

With an area of ​​390 square kilometers (150 square miles), Sanaa is home to around 2 million people as per unofficial 2010 estimates — the latest available — but an increase in population has been registered due to waves of internal displacement caused by the war.

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