‘Like a battlefield’: How Yemen’s Mocha went from a town of fishermen to a city of fighters

‘Like a battlefield’: How Yemen’s Mocha went from a town of fishermen to a city of fighters Submitted by MEE correspondent on Mon, 08/17/2026 - 12:06 The historic, strategically located city was once a quiet fishing town, but today it serves as the headquarters of the Republican Guard forces and hosts many fighters fleeing Houthi areas The navigation bridge of a sunken vessel in Mocha the day after an attack by the Houthis in the city held by Yemen’s internationally recognised government on 10 August 2026 (Khaled Ziad/AFP) Off In Yemen ’s coastal city of Mocha, the dominant dialect is no longer that of the native fishermen who grew up relying on the sea. Instead, it is the dialect of fighters who fled Houthi-controlled areas. Once a small fishing town, Mocha has transformed into a bustling hub where almost all essential services are available, largely because fighters have settled here with their families.