Abubakr Al-Shamahi is a former researcher at the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies.
Al-Shamahi works as a freelance journalist and has written for a number of international publications, including Al-Jazeera English and The Guardian.
Previously, he worked as a television correspondent based in the Middle East. He reported from across the region and from around the world working for outlets such as TRT World, the New Arab, and the BBC.
Abubakr's latest contributions
The Yemen Brief Podcast | Episode 8 | Minority Communities in Yemen, Part One: Muhammasheen
The Muhammasheen, literally the “marginalized,” is an ascriptive term designating an ethnic hereditary minority of Yemenis associated with certain types of occupations. Its members, numbering some 500,000 to 800,000, are prohibited from bearing arms or owning property, and stigmatized as weak and of foreign descent. The ostracization of the … Read more
The Yemen Brief Podcast | Episode 7 | What Would Talks Between Iran and Saudi Arabia Mean for Yemen?
Iran and Saudi Arabia have long been cast as Gulf rivals. In their relationships with the West and their support for actors in Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon, they have long stood on opposing sides of regional conflicts and international security and energy policy.
The Saudi-led coalition’s intervention in Yemen in 2015, and Iranian military support … Read more
The Yemen Brief Podcast | Episode 5 | The Saudi Blockade of Yemen
As the Yemeni war drags on and the humanitarian crisis deepens, there have been growing calls for the United States to end its support of the Saudi-led intervention and its blockade of Houthi territories.
The maritime and air blockade is cited by critics as a driving factor of the deteriorating humanitarian situation and food insecurity plaguing … Read more
The Yemen Brief Podcast | Episode 4 | How the International Humanitarian Response is Failing Yemen
Sana’a Center Researcher AbuBakr al-Shamahi talks to Sarah Vuylsteke, the author of our report "When Aid Goes Awry: How the International Humanitarian Response is Failing Yemen".
This episode focuses primarily on is Yemen really the worst humanitarian crisis in the world? Does data support this or not?
The Yemen Brief Podcast is the place to … Read more
The Yemen Brief Podcast | Episode 3 | What is the UAE’s role and ambitions in Yemen?
Sana’a Center Researcher AbuBakr al-Shamahi talks to Senior Researcher Abdulghani al-Iryani about the role of foreign actors in Yemen as the country's history is filled with stories of foreign powers stepping in to leave their mark. This episode focuses primarily on the role of the United Arab Emirates in the ongoing conflict in Yemen and its … Read more