More than 200,000 individuals have been forced to leave their homes in Yemen due to the escalating conflict between Houthi rebels and government forces supported by Saudi Arabia, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The IOM expressed deep concern over the rapid increase in displacement, with the current number of displaced people reaching 201,217, a significant rise from 76,000 in mid-September.
The majority of displaced individuals are from Yemen’s Ta’iz governorate along the Red Sea coast. The IOM Director General, Amy Pope, highlighted the dire situation, stating that people are fleeing for their safety but struggling to find secure places to seek refuge.
The conflict reignited in July when Yemen’s government bombed the airport in the capital city of Sanaa, controlled by the Houthi rebels, leading to heightened tensions. The fighting intensified further last month as the Houthis seized the Red Sea coast, prompting government forces, supported by a coalition led by Saudi Arabia, to launch a counter-offensive to maintain access to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry emphasized the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation in the strait, a critical passage near Yemen’s southwestern coast. The conflict has forced many Yemeni civilians, already facing severe challenges, to bear the brunt of the escalating violence.
In the midst of fierce fighting in Yemen, particularly in Dhubab and Taiz’s Waziayah district, displaced individuals have sought shelter in makeshift camps or with relatives in various parts of the country. Some have even made the perilous journey by sea to Djibouti. The World Food Programme (WFP) has also raised concerns about the rapidly deteriorating food security situation in Yemen, with a significant number of families struggling to meet their basic food needs amidst the escalating violence. Many Yemenis are enduring severe hardships, including walking for days without sustenance, as they flee the conflict zones.
The situation in Yemen continues to worsen, with the conflict taking a heavy toll on civilians, exacerbating displacement and food insecurity across the country.