Hi Clo:
Yemen is a funny country. Fifteen years ago, my nephew was involved in updating their computer systems to be Y2K compliant. Upon arriving in country, he was immediately kidnapped, where he was wined and dined by his abductors until a modest ransom was paid. This ransom was in his budget. Thereafter he was doubly protected by the authorities and his former kidnappers who were grateful for the money. There was no crime reported.
The government official he was working with put a low priority on my nephew's efforts. He said Yemen was dark for 5,000 years - A few more months would be of minor consequence. This laizzes-faire attitude worked to my nephew's advantage because he was allowed to accomplish his assignment with virtually no interference by the government.