More than 112,000 displaced by Yemen fighting; thousands flee to Djibouti
More than 112,000 people have been internally displaced in Yemen and nearly 3,000 have fled by boat to Djibouti as fighting intensifies between Iran-aligned Houthi forces and Saudi-backed troops loyal to Yemen's internationally recognised government, the United Nations said. The UN estimates about 22 million Yemenis — roughly half the population — now require humanitarian assistance amid rapidly dwindling aid stocks.
Why It Matters
The scale of displacement and the seizure of Yemen's Red Sea coast, including the Bab al‑Mandeb Strait, risk exacerbating a regional humanitarian emergency and place additional strain on neighboring Djibouti, which already hosts tens of thousands of refugees. The disruption also threatens a vital global shipping route, amplifying the wider geopolitical implications of the conflict.
Key Facts
- Internally displaced people in Yemen: More than 112,000 (most displaced in the last two weeks)
- People who fled to Djibouti: Around 3,000 Yemenis by boat
- Yemenis in need of humanitarian aid: About 22 million (nearly half the population), UN estimate
- Registered refugees and asylum seekers in Yemen: More than 65,000 (mainly from Somalia and Ethiopia)
- People who crossed to Djibouti in past week: More than 2,400 (mostly women, children and older people), UNHCR said
United Nations agencies report a sharp rise in displacement across Yemen as clashes escalate between Houthi forces and troops aligned with the internationally recognised government. More than 112,000 people have been forced from their homes, with the bulk of the recent movements occurring over the last two weeks along the west coast and in Taiz and Lahj provinces, UN and aid agency officials said. The displacement followed a swift Houthi advance that seized control of Yemen's Red Sea coastline, tightening their hold on the Bab al‑Mandeb Strait — a key maritime chokepoint linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The UN estimates that about 22 million Yemenis, roughly half the country’s population, now need urgent humanitarian assistance, and aid workers warn stocks and resources are close to depletion. The crisis is also driving people across the water: UNHCR reported that around 3,000 Yemenis have reached Djibouti by boat, with more than 2,400 crossings recorded in the past week alone. Most arrivals are described as women, children and older people. UN officials said the influx is straining Djibouti, a nation of roughly one million people that already hosts about 36,000 refugees, mainly from Somalia and Ethiopia. Aid agencies highlighted particular vulnerabilities among the displaced. The UN Population Fund representative said thousands of women have fled with children and few possessions; the UNFPA estimates some 2,000 pregnant women are among the displaced and around 200 are expected to give birth soon. The International Organization for Migration warned that its supplies are limited and will be exhausted if the situation continues to worsen. UN and aid agency representatives named Abdusattor Esoev of the IOM, Francesco Galtieri of UNFPA, and Sandrine Desamours of UNHCR in their briefings on the situation. The unfolding events in Yemen carry both humanitarian and wider regional implications owing to the strategic importance of the Bab al‑Mandeb shipping route.
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