Local Editor

The UN cultural agency placed two ancient cities in Yemen, Sana’a and Shibam, on its list of endangered World Heritage sites on Thursday.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization [UNESCO] said Sana’a, known for its many Islamic sites and multi-story rammed earth houses, "sustainedThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization serious damage due to armed conflict" and Saudi strikes. 

It said that the Qasimi neighborhood near the urban garden of Miqshamat al Qasimi had sustained "particularly serious damage."

The 12th century al-Mahdi Mosque has also been affected and "the majority of the colorful, decorated doors and window panes characteristic of the city’s domestic architecture have been shattered or damaged," UNESCO further said.

The old city of Sana’a has been inhabited for more than 2,500 years and was a major center for the propagation of Islam, boasting more than 100 mosques, 14 public baths and more than 6,000 houses built before the 11th century.

Furthermore, UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee also decided that the old walled city of Shibam was "under potential threat from the armed conflict."

The fighting "compounds safeguarding and management problems already observed," it said as it added the 16th century city to its List of World Heritage in Danger.

Shibam’s tower-like structures rise up from a cliff and have given the city the nickname of the "Manhattan of the desert."

Just earlier on Wednesday, the UN declared its highest level of humanitarian emergency in Yemen, where more than 2,600 people have been killed since March.