Vestiges of the glorious past of this coastal region on the Arabian Sea, churches, museums and temples are threatened by a conflict that has ravaged the poorest country on the Arabian Peninsula for more than seven years.
Erected in the 11th century on top of a mountainous island, overlooking the port, Sira was used in particular to repel invaders in this strategic region near the Bab Al-Mandab Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden in the ocean. Indian.
According to the Deputy Director of Aden's Office of Antiquities, Osmane Abdelrahmane, the city's historical sites suffer from "systematic neglect and destruction".
The budget allocated to them, around 200 euros per month, barely covers "stationery purchases", he told AFP.
"Even when we get aid, it only covers a tiny part of what is needed," explains Osmane Abdelrahmane.
"Sometimes I regret having studied archeology and having entered this field," says the manager, who says he is "frustrated and desperate".
Since the capture of the capital Sanaa by Houthi rebels in 2014, Yemen has been devastated by war and its aftermath, with hundreds of thousands dead, millions displaced and large-scale famine looming over the population.
Tourists visiting the Sira fortress in Aden, southern Yemen, on February 24, 2022 Saleh Al-OBEIDI AFP
"Irreversible"
The conflict between rebels, backed by Iran, and pro-government forces, backed by Saudi Arabia, has plunged the country into one of the worst humanitarian tragedies in the world.
The insurgents control large swaths of the country, mainly in the north, notably Sanaa.
Driven out by the rebels, the government temporarily took up residence in Aden.
The city's military museum, whose building dates back to 1918, was bombed and looted during a failed Houthi offensive on Aden in 2015.
The Saudi-led coalition admitted in September 2021 to having bombed part of the building, citing a "legitimate military target".
Other sites in Aden have been bombed, vandalized or attacked, while some have simply been abandoned for lack of means to maintain them.
The port of Aden seen from the Sira fortress, February 24, 2022 Saleh Al-OBEIDI AFP
Tawila Cisterns, water reservoirs carved into the rock of the mountains and centuries old, have long been one of the most visited historical monuments in the city.
The cisterns are now covered, surrounded by anarchic constructions.
"The state's lack of vision for the protection of the country's cultural heritage and identity has had a negative impact," Asmahane al-Alas, a history professor at the University of 'Aden.
According to this specialist, the heritage of Yemen should on the contrary contribute in the future to the "development" of the country, which once attracted foreign visitors.
"Neglect and ignorance have led to an irreversible level of loss," she told AFP, lamenting that "taking power is seen as more important than anything else."
© 2022 AFP