Yemen fighting displaces more than 112,000 as thousands flee to Djibouti

More than 112,000 people have been displaced inside Yemen, while nearly 3,000 others have fled across the Red Sea to Djibouti, as fighting intensifies between the Iran-allied Houthis and forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognised government. According to the United Nations, most of those displaced were forced from their homes over the past two weeks, particularly in areas along Yemen’s western coast and in the provinces of Taiz and Lahj. The escalation has deepened an already severe humanitarian crisis in the country. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) warned that hum

More than 112,000 people have been displaced inside Yemen, while nearly 3,000 others have fled across the Red Sea to Djibouti, as fighting intensifies between the Iran-allied Houthis and forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognised government. According to the United Nations, most of those displaced were forced from their homes over the past two weeks, particularly in areas along Yemen’s western coast and in the provinces of Taiz and Lahj. The escalation has deepened an already severe humanitarian crisis in the country. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) warned that humanitarian resources are running dangerously low. The UN estimates that around 22 million Yemenis, nearly half of the country’s population, urgently need humanitarian assistance. More than 65,000 refugees and asylum seekers living in Yemen, mainly from Somalia and Ethiopia, are also facing growing risks. The crisis is also pushing people across the Bab al-Mandeb Strait to Djibouti. The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said more than 2,400 people made the journey during the past week, with women, children and older people making up most of those arriving. Around 3,000 Yemenis have reached Djibouti by boat. The growing arrivals are putting additional pressure on Djibouti, a country of about one million people that already hosts around 36,000 refugees, mainly from Somalia and Ethiopia. UN agencies warn that the humanitarian situation is worsening rapidly, with thousands of vulnerable people, including pregnant women and children, among those displaced by the fighting.