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

Thousands making risky maritime journey to Djibouti as conflict between Yemen gov’t and Houthis intensifies.

Displaced people in Taiz province, Yemen [Marzouq Al Jabri/AP Photo]

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.

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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.

Aisha Muhammad, a displaced woman, had to leave her five children in their village near the port city of Mocha when it was overrun by the Houthis last week.

“They are being blocked and shot at, so they are trapped inside their homes. They are cooking only rice, no bread, nothing else. My daughters called me saying they want to join us, but it has become too difficult,” said Muhammad.

Hussein Haydara, a displaced man from Hodeidah, said he was forced to escape suddenly with his family.

“You could barely take your children and the fewest essentials with you,” he said. “We were terrified of the shelling and sniper fire, and you just flee as quickly as you can out of fear for your children and your family.”

UNHCR reports that more than 2,400 people made the journey across the Bab al-Mandeb strait in the past four days. Most arrivals are women, children and older people, it said.

“People are arriving after a difficult sea journey, many exhausted, distressed and carrying what little they could take with them,” Sandrine Desamours, UNHCR’s representative in Djibouti, said.

随着也门政府与胡塞武装之间的冲突加剧，成千上万的人冒着生命危险乘船前往吉布提。

也门塔伊兹省的流离失所者 [Marzouq Al Jabri/AP Photo]

据联合国称，超过 10 万人被迫逃离也门胡塞武装与效忠于国际公认政府的部队之间的冲突。

联合国难民署（UNHCR）周二发表声明称，也门西部沿海地区迅速升级的敌对行动已导致该国境内超过 10 万人流离失所，并迫使数千人冒险穿越曼德海峡前往吉布提寻求安全。

（共3条） 也门战事再度升级，数千人逃往吉布提

列表 2/3：战火重燃加剧也门人道主义危机

也门胡塞武装不断扩张的战争经济内幕（共3篇，第3篇）

联合国难民署的声明警告说，暴力事件有可能引发人道主义危机，因为更多的人流离失所，给资源有限的社区带来压力。

该机构表示，需要约 1400 万美元的新资金来满足也门境内流离失所家庭的迫切需求，还需要为抵达吉布提的人们提供额外支持。

声明指出：“许多家庭仓促逃离家园，几乎身无分文。由于接收社区和流离失所者安置点不堪重负，住所、食物、清洁饮用水、医疗保健和保护服务是最迫切的需求。”

也门境内超过 65,000 名登记在册的难民和寻求庇护者，主要来自索马里和埃塞俄比亚，也因战乱而面临风险。

这场流离失所始于伊朗支持的胡塞武装开始快速推进，夺取了也门红海沿岸的全部控制权，以巩固其对曼德海峡的控制。

这条战略水道是连接红海和亚丁湾的重要海上通道，随着美国对伊朗的战争导致霍尔木兹海峡交通堵塞，它已成为一条替代航运路线。

流离失所的妇女艾莎·穆罕默德上周被迫将她的五个孩子留在摩卡港附近的村庄，当时胡塞武装占领了该村庄。

“他们遭到围堵和枪击，所以被困在家里。他们只能煮米饭，没有面包，什么也没有。我的女儿们打电话告诉我她们想和我们一起走，但现在情况太糟糕了，”穆罕默德说。

来自荷台达的流离失所者侯赛因·海达拉说，他被迫和家人一起突然逃离。

“你几乎只能带上孩子和最基本的必需品，”他说。“我们害怕炮击和狙击，为了孩子和家人的安全，你只能拼命逃跑。”

联合国难民署报告称，过去四天里，超过2400人穿越了曼德海峡。报告指出，抵达者大多为妇女、儿童和老年人。

“人们经过艰难的海上旅程抵达，许多人筋疲力尽、情绪低落，身上只带着他们所能带走的少量物品，”联合国难民署驻吉布提代表桑德琳·德萨穆尔说。