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Libya and Yemen

Militia leader Salem al Derby shows off his garden; leopards stalk the Yemen/Oman border

Owen Bennett Jones presents personal reflections and experiences from reporters and writers around the world. In this edition, Shaimaa Khalil reveals an unexpected side of longtime Libyan militia leader Salem al Derby, founding father of the Abu Salim Brigades, whom she recently met for an interview at his family ranch in the mountains. In between answering questions about Libyan jihadis' past resistance to the Gaddafi regime, their current role in Syria and what links they may have with al-Qaeda, he revealed a true passion ... for gardening. And Daniel Owen explains what camera traps have exposed of Yemen's fauna - a rarely-seen, but surprisingly diverse collection of wild animals - from rock hyraxes to the magnificent Arabian leopard.

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11 minutes

Last on

Tue 6 Aug 2013 18:50GMT

Broadcast

  • Tue 6 Aug 2013 18:50GMT