Mohammed Hassan
ON THE RECORD · 13 verbatim quotes · every quote source-verified
“The explosions were intensifying, and the three people with me kept asking me to hurry, fearing that the Houthis would catch up with us.”
Mohammed Hassan · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-03
Mohammed described the intensifying explosions and his passengers' fear of being caught by the Houthis.
“I only believed them when they went out, filmed the withdrawal and showed me the video,”
Mohammed Hassan · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-03
Mohammed, 47, said he only believed reports of the withdrawal after his family filmed it and showed him the video.
“I saw some soldiers selling their weapons for 500 Saudi riyals [$133.33] while others simply abandoned them. They were terrified,”
Mohammed Hassan · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-03
Mohammed said he saw terrified soldiers selling or abandoning their weapons outside Aden.
“Only one person who was travelling with a large family stopped and poured some water into her cupped hands.”
Mohammed Hassan · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-03
Mohammed said only one traveller stopped to give his wife water from his family's supply.
“I told her, ‘Let’s take whatever luggage we can, and we’ll come back for the rest tomorrow,’”
Mohammed Hassan · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-03
Mohammed recalled what he told his wife as they prepared to flee with limited luggage.
“No one has helped us, and we haven’t even had breakfast today. We skip meals to save money,”
Mohammed Hassan · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-03
Mohammed said no one has helped the families and they skip meals to save money in Mukalla.
“He saw a wounded man whose leg had been severed,”
Mohammed Hassan · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-03
Mohammed recounted what his son Shaker saw after a missile hit a nearby camp for displaced people.
“I saw soldiers taking off their military uniforms while others threw away their weapons or buried them in the sand,”
Mohammed Hassan · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-03
Mohammed said he saw soldiers discarding uniforms and weapons to hide their identities from advancing Houthis.
“My wife cried in shock when she saw the upper half of a person’s body. We saw young and old people walking along the road while fleeing soldiers sometimes passed them in empty vehicles without stopping to pick anyone up.”
Mohammed Hassan · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-03
Mohammed described harrowing scenes on the road, including his wife's shock at seeing a body and soldiers not stopping to help fleeing civilians.
“He felt sorry for us and gave us the water when we told him that we had not eaten or drunk anything,”
Mohammed Hassan · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-03
Mohammed said a soldier gave his family water after learning they had not eaten or drunk anything.
“Shops were closed, and we could not find water. My wife got out of the car and stood by the road, asking people to give us some water,”
Mohammed Hassan · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-03
Mohammed described his family's desperate search for water after shops were closed along the road.
“I went out looking for any job, but I couldn’t find one. I am a day labourer and can do anything, keeping bees, climbing palm trees or carrying stones.”
Mohammed Hassan · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-03
Mohammed said he has been unable to find work as a day labourer since arriving in Mukalla.
“The car was about to flip over, and we could have died. I replaced the damaged tyre with another one that was already crumbling,”
Mohammed Hassan · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-03
Mohammed described the dangerous moment when a tyre on his truck blew out while fleeing.