More than 100,000 displaced as they flee violence in Yemen: UN

More than 100,000 people have been forced to flee the conflict in Yemen between the Houthis and forces loyal to the internationally recognised government, according to the United Nations.

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said in a statement issued on Tuesday that the rapidly escalating hostilities along Yemen’s western coast have displaced more than 100,000 people inside the country, and forced thousands more to risk the dangerous journey across the Bab al-Mandeb strait to reach Djibouti in search of safety.

The UNHCR statement warned that the violence threatens to trigger a humanitarian crisis, as more people are displaced, pressuring communities with limited resources.

The agency said it requires an estimated $14m in new funding to meet the immediate needs of displaced families inside Yemen, with additional support needed for those arriving in Djibouti.

“Many families fled at short notice with few belongings. Shelter, food, clean water, health care and protection services are among the most urgent needs, as receiving communities and displacement sites become overstretched,” the statement reads.

More than 65,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers inside Yemen, mainly from Somalia and Ethiopia, are also facing risks due to the fighting.

The displacement began when the Iran-aligned Houthis began a rapid advance , seizing control of the entirety of Yemen’s Red Sea coast to cement their grip on Bab al-Mandeb.

The strategic waterway is a critical maritime corridor linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and has become an alternative shipping route as the United States’ war against Iran choked the Strait of Hormuz.