Nearly 16,000 displaced in Yemen in one week
Nearly 16,000 people were displaced in Yemen over the past week as insecurity continued along the country’s western coast and in the south, the International Organization for Migration said Monday.
The UN migration agency said 15,870 people were displaced between Sept. 21 and Monday, bringing the total number of people displaced across eight governorates since fighting escalated in June to 145,308, or 24,218 households.
“Every week, we count thousands more people who have left everything behind,” said Abdusattor Esoev, 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,” he said, adding that displaced families needed immediate assistance.
Taiz hosts more than half of displaced people
Taiz is hosting the largest number of displaced people, with 81,444, more than half of the national total. The figure increased by about 8,000 in one week.
Lahj is hosting 34,860 displaced people, followed by 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.
Aden recorded the sharpest weekly increase, with its displaced population rising by 3,510 people, or about 40%.
Aid needs grow as fighting continues
The IOM said communities in Taiz, Lahj and Aden had opened their doors to people fleeing the fighting, but warned that local support alone was not enough.
Displaced families urgently need shelter, food and protection, while host communities also require additional assistance, the agency said.
The IOM called for civilians and humanitarian workers to be protected and for safe, unhindered access to displaced families and host communities. It warned that further displacement could occur in the coming days if the security situation remains volatile.
Yemen conflict enters another phase of displacement
Yemen has been embroiled in conflict since the Houthi group seized Sanaa and several governorates in 2014, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government.
Fighting intensified in September, with the Houthis taking control of several key areas in Al Hudaydah and Taiz governorates, including the strategic city of Mokha, while reaching Mayyun Island overlooking the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The latest displacement figures underline the continuing humanitarian impact of the conflict, with thousands of people forced to leave their homes as insecurity persists.
Source:AA
