Yemen Displacement Surges 12 Percent in 1 Week as 145,000 Flee Fighting
The UN migration agency reported in a statement that 145,308 people, or 24,218 households, have fled their homes across eight governorates since fighting flared on the western coast in June. Between Sept. 21 and Monday, the total climbed by 15,870 people, an increase of more than 12%.
“Every week, we count thousands more people who have left everything behind,” said Abdusattor Esoev, the IOM’s chief of mission in Yemen. “Behind these figures are parents trying to keep their children safe, older people who cannot travel far, and families who had very little to begin with.”
“They need help now, and our response has to move as fast as they are,” he added.
Taiz shelters the largest displaced population at 81,444, more than half the national total, the IOM said. That is roughly 8,000 higher than a week earlier.
Lahj follows with 34,860 displaced people, then Aden with 12,456, Al Hudaydah with 8,244, Abyan with 5,568, Hadramout with 1,974, Marib with 750 and Al Mahrah with 12, according to the statement.
Aden saw the steepest weekly jump, with its displaced population rising by 3,510 people, or about 40%.
“Communities in Ta'iz, Lahj and Aden have opened their doors to people fleeing the fighting, but goodwill alone cannot cover what is needed,” Esoev said.
Families urgently require shelter, food and protection, and the towns hosting them need support as well, he added.
The IOM urged the protection of civilians and humanitarian workers, along with safe, unimpeded access to displaced families and host communities. It cautioned that more displacement is likely in the coming days if conditions remain unstable.
Yemen has been locked in conflict since the Houthi group seized the capital Sanaa and several governorates in 2014, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in 2015 in support of the country's internationally recognized government.
Fighting escalated in September, with the Houthis taking control of several key areas in Al-Hudaydah and Taiz governorates, including the strategic city of Mokha, and reaching Mayyun Island, which overlooks the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
