The number of internally displaced people in Yemen has risen to at least 76,000 since July, the United Nations said Saturday, as displacement accelerates amid intensifying fighting between the Houthis and government forces.
The latest displacement wave comes as clashes have escalated in Yemen in recent days, with the Houthis advancing along the country’s western coast toward the Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the world’s most important maritime routes.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) warned in a statement of “a rapidly escalating displacement crisis in Yemen that is evolving hour by hour,” adding that “at least 76,000 people have fled their homes since July.”
It said a quarter of those displaced had fled during the past week, as the Houthis launched a major offensive in which they seized control of Yemen’s entire western coastline and the Bab al-Mandab Strait area.
“This figure is four times the number recorded last week, as fighting intensifies,” the IOM said, warning that “entire families are now displaced, often leaving their homes at night without a safe place to go.”
An IOM spokesperson said more than 70,000 displaced people had fled their homes since the beginning of September.
According to the organization, displacement has been concentrated in western coastal areas and Taiz Governorate, which has been the hardest hit. About 8,300 families, or nearly 50,000 people, have been displaced from districts across the governorate.
The IOM noted that many displaced families had already been displaced during the conflict, which has lasted for more than a decade.
“They are exhausted. Their resources have been completely depleted, and most fled with only the clothes they were wearing,” it said.
The organization said its field teams were distributing emergency assistance, including shelter and hygiene supplies, but warned that humanitarian needs “far exceed” what can currently be provided.
“The situation is deteriorating day by day, and the number of displaced people is expected to rise further in the coming days,” it said.
Source: (AFP)
