More than 112,000 displaced in Yemen as fighting drives thousands to Djibouti
The United Nations says more than 112,000 people have been displaced in Yemen as fighting intensifies between Houthi forces and Saudi-backed forces loyal to the internationally recognised government. The displacement has also pushed nearly 3,000 people to flee by boat to Djibouti across the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. The latest figures point to a fast-moving humanitarian crisis that is spreading beyond Yemen's borders.
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According to the International Organization for Migration, most of the internally displaced people have moved in the last two weeks. The main areas affected are Yemen's west coast and the provinces of Taiz and Lahj. Abdusattor Esoev, the organisation's mission chief in Yemen, said resources were "very, very, very limited" and warned that stocks would be depleted very soon.
The United Nations says the crisis is worsening by the hour, with thousands of women and children among those on the move. Francesco Galtieri, a representative for the UN Population Fund, said about 2,000 pregnant women are among the displaced and around 200 are expected to give birth shortly. The UN refugee agency said more than 2,400 people made the crossing to Djibouti in the past week alone, mostly women, children and older people.
The displacement surge began after the Houthis made a rapid advance along Yemen's west coast and seized control of the entire Red Sea coast, tightening their grip on the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. That waterway is strategically important because it links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and serves as a major shipping route. The fighting adds to an already severe humanitarian emergency in a country where the UN says 22 million people need aid.
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The spillover into Djibouti is also significant because the country has a population of about one million and already hosts around 36,000 refugees, mainly from Somalia and Ethiopia. The UN refugee agency said the new arrivals are adding pressure on local services and reception capacity. It also noted that more than 65,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers remain in Yemen and are themselves at risk.
What remains unclear is how long the fighting will continue and whether the displacement will accelerate further in the coming days. The UN agencies involved have warned that their supplies are running low, but have not given a timeline for additional support. The scale of the crisis suggests the humanitarian response will depend on whether access, funding and security conditions improve quickly.
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