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Yemeni Survivor's Perilous Journey to UK Freedom
30 Jun
Summary
- Played with unexploded bomb, witnessing friends' tragic deaths.
- Fled Yemen amid civil war, escaping conscription and violence.
- Survived drowning and gunfire during perilous journey to the UK.
Amal Sahel, now 23, recounts a harrowing childhood in Yemen, where playing with metal debris led to a fatal explosion that killed his friends. This was the first of several near-death experiences.
Before the war, Yemen was idyllic, but in September 2014, conflict erupted. Sahel focused on studies and photography, but this drew Houthi rebel attention. Accused of spying, he was beaten and threatened with conscription.
He fled to Egypt in 2023, fearing deportation back to Yemen. Advised to reach Europe, he attempted a crossing from Turkey, where he saved a drowning teenager.
His journey continued through Greece, where he felt treated as a criminal, before heading to France in late 2024 to cross the English Channel. A smuggler dispute led to gunfire, but he eventually reached the UK.
Sahel found relief and a sense of humanity in the UK, contrasting with Yemen's turmoil. He aspires to achieve greatness and be known as a good person, cherishing his newfound safety.
