Report: Yemen's war has left parts of ancient sites in ruins

A prominent Yemeni rights group says it has documented heavy damage to at least 34 archaeological sites from the fighting and airstrikes over the past four years in the war-torn country.

The group is urging the international community to protect the Yemenis' "collective memory."

The Mawatana Organization for Human Rights says in a lengthy report entitled "The Degradation of History" and released on Thursday that it collected testimonies from over 75 people working at the archaeological sites and monuments that came under attack since mid-2014.

Yemen's Shiite rebels known as Houthis captured the country's capital, Sanaa, and forced the legitimate government into exile. A Saudi-led coalition of mostly Gulf Arab states has since March 2015 been waging war against the rebels to restore the government to power.