A dentist anywhere in the world specializes in treating mouth-related health issues. He or she can remove a molar, fix a tooth or make a filling. But in Yemen, a dentist can be detained and be accused of espionage. Then his execution and a public display of his body can happen in broad daylight.
On Aug. 15, al-Qaeda operatives in Yemen’s Bayda province killed Madhar al-Yousifi, a 40-year dentist, and tied his body to a makeshift cross. The militants alleged that Yousifi was spying on them so that they could be targeted by American drones.
