The well-known Yemeni poet Amer bin Amro Balabid, nicknamed the "Poet of the Million," has died after getting lost in the desert of Shabwa Governorate, southeast Yemen, due to thirst. Local residents reported that poet Amer Balabid died of thirst in the Al-Aqla desert in the Arma district of Shabwa Governorate while he was on his way from Hadhramaut Governorate to Shabwa.
They added that the poet had traveled from Shabwa to Hadhramaut and returned to Shabwa three days ago, but he got lost on the way back at the Arma junction towards Al-Aqla and communication was lost for two days. According to the local news site "Al-Masdar Online," search operations began immediately after losing contact with him, and his bag and phone were found on the Arma road heading to Al-Aqla. After following the trail, his body was discovered, indicating that he had passed away. Residents mentioned that a state of sadness overwhelmed the people of Shabwa following the news of his tragic death.
This incident comes just days after the death of a Yemeni citizen named Abdullah Mubarak Al-Obeidi, who also died of thirst in the "Aren" desert east of Ma'rib after his vehicle got stuck in the "Um Al-Tal" sand. The desert roads between Al-Jawf, Ma'rib, and Sana'a have witnessed repeated similar incidents, amid the Houthis continuing to block main roads between the provinces, leading to widespread public calls to open these roads to alleviate the suffering of citizens, especially travelers between Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
Poet Amer bin Amro Balabid is one of the sons of Shabwa Governorate, and he rose to fame after securing the second position in the "Poet of the Million" competition in 2008. He then moved to the United Arab Emirates, where he spent many years before returning to Yemen in 2021.
