Al Ardhi's childhood was often difficult, not just for his family but for Oman as a whole. Families often lived without running water and electricity during this period. The Dhofar Rebellion, a conflict that eventually turned out to be the longest armed conflict in the history of the Arabian Peninsula (1965-1975), Britain's last colonial war in the region, and a proxy war in the Cold War, further exacerbated Oman's problems. It wasn't uncommon for civilians to become victims of the political and military conflict. Al Ardhi's family was no exception. In 1968 and 1969, their homes in Alaswad were bombed by revolutionaries. Government facilities, including his father's office, were often attacked. His father narrowly escaped death during a bombing when he stepped away from his desk.