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Inhabited continuously for more than 2500 years, and connected to the civilisations of the Bible and Koran, the old city of Sana'a in Yemen is an architectural and cultural jewel.
It is also under attack, with the possibility the UNESCO World Heritage site could suffer the same fate as Syria's Aleppo, where fierce fighting has devastated its population and cultural treasures.
Australian photographer Rod Waddington, who visited Yemen in 2013, fears a tragedy: "It would be major; it's like what ISIS is doing in Northern Iraq, destroying all of the sights."
Following are a selection of images from Mr Waddington and UNESCO portraying a country he describes as one of the most photogenic in the world.
Old Sana'a. Photo: UNESCO
Old Sana'a by day. Photo: Rod Waddington/Flickr Creative Commons
The Sana'a Suq (market) at night. Photo: Rod Waddington/Flickr Creative Commons
Sana'a by night. Photo: Rod Waddington/Flickr Creative Commons
A girl in Sana'a. Photo: Rod Waddington/Flickr Creative Commons
A market stall operating in Sana'a. Photo: Rod Waddington/Flickr Creative Commons
An art gallery in Sana'a. Photo: Rod Waddington/Flickr Creative Commons
A room reserved for men only. Photo: Rod Waddington/Flickr Creative Commons
A traditional house in old Sana'a. Photo: Rod Waddington/Flickr Creative Commons
A Yemeni cloth store. Photo: Rod Waddington/Flickr Creative Commons
Old Sana'a. Photo: UNESCO
Details of a historic building in Sana'a. Photo: UNESCO
A view over the rooftops of Sana'a. Photo: UNESCO
The ancient salt market at Sana'a is still in operation. Photo: UNESCO