More than 112,000 people have been displaced inside Yemen and close to 3,000 have fled by boat to Djibouti as fighting intensifies between the Iran-allied Houthis and forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognised government, according to the United Nations.
The displacement has accelerated over the past two weeks, with most people fleeing areas along Yemen’s west coast and in the provinces of Taiz and Lahj, the International Organization for Migration said.
Humanitarian needs are rising
Abdusattor Esoev, the IOM’s mission chief in Yemen, said the organisation’s resources were severely limited and that its stocks could be depleted soon. He estimated that 22 million Yemenis, or nearly half the population, urgently need humanitarian aid.
More than 65,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers in Yemen, mainly from Somalia and Ethiopia, are also at risk as the conflict intensifies. Read the context: Rising Yemen conflict risks disrupting vital Bab al-Mandeb energy corridor.
Women and children among those fleeing
Francesco Galtieri, a representative for the UN Population Fund, said the crisis was worsening rapidly and that thousands of women had lost their possessions while fleeing with their children. He estimated that 2,000 pregnant women were among those displaced and that about 200 were expected to give birth soon.
The UN refugee agency said more than 2,400 people made the journey to Djibouti in the past week, mostly women, children and older people.
Djibouti faces additional pressure
The arrivals are adding pressure to Djibouti, a country with a population of about one million that already hosts around 36,000 refugees, mostly from Somalia and Ethiopia, according to UNHCR representative Sandrine Desamours.
The shortest route across the Bab al-Mandeb Strait is just over 25km. The strait connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is a strategically important shipping route.
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