Key Takeaways
- At least 112,000 people have been displaced within Yemen in the past two weeks.
- Nearly 3,000 have fled to Djibouti by sea in less than a week.
- UN agencies warn of acute pressure on Djibouti’s health and education services.
The United Nations migration agency has reported that at least 112,000 people have been displaced within Yemen over the past two weeks due to ongoing fighting along the country’s west coast. The conflict has intensified with the Houthis stepping up attacks on Saudi cities and energy infrastructure, while advancing towards the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial shipping route.
In response to the Houthi offensive, the Saudi and Yemeni air forces have launched airstrikes targeting Houthi positions. The conflict has forced thousands to flee, with nearly 3,000 people crossing the Gulf of Aden to Djibouti in less than a week. Sandrine Desamours, the UNHCR representative, stated that the government of Djibouti is preparing for the arrival of up to 10,000 refugees, which will place significant strain on the country’s health and education services.
The UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that people are fleeing on overcrowded boats and arriving with limited food and water. Most of the refugees are Yemeni families, but the IOM is also seeing a small number of migrants, mainly from Ethiopia, heading in the same direction. Additionally, authorities in Somaliland and Puntland have reported increased arrivals from Yemen, including Yemeni refugees and Somali refugee returnees, though the numbers remain in the hundreds.
The UN agencies describe the latest fighting as a crisis on top of multiple crises, as Yemen’s health services and economy have been severely impacted by a long civil war between the internationally recognised, Saudi-backed administration and the Houthis. This conflict has created one of the world’s biggest humanitarian crises.
The Houthi advance along Yemen’s Red Sea coast is seen as bolstering Tehran’s hand in its conflict with the US, as the group tightens its control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategic chokepoint for global oil and commodities shipping. This control is more than six months after US and Israeli attacks on Iran.
The UN agencies are urging the international community to provide support to Djibouti to manage the influx of refugees. They warn that the situation could worsen if the conflict continues, potentially leading to a humanitarian disaster.
The UNHCR representative, Sandrine Desamours, highlighted the urgent need for assistance, stating, 'The situation is critical, and we need immediate support to ensure the safety and well-being of these displaced individuals.'
The government of Djibouti is preparing for the arrival of up to 10,000 refugees – which will add acute pressure on the country’s health care and education services.
Sandrine Desamours, UNHCR representative
