More than 2,000 fled Yemen fighting to Djibouti

More than 2,000 individuals have arrived in Djibouti over the past week, fleeing the escalating conflict between Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels and the Saudi-backed government, according to the United Nations. The United Nations reported on Sunday that the first arrivals reached Djibouti's shores on Thursday evening. The International Organization for Migration informed AFP that the initial count stood at around 1,400 people on Saturday.

Djibouti, situated opposite Yemen across the Bab al-Mandab strait, has emerged as a crucial transit point for migrants seeking to reach the oil-rich Gulf states. With a population of approximately a million, Djibouti is one of Africa's least populous nations. The UN estimates that at least 76,000 people have been displaced in Yemen since July, with this figure more than quadrupling in the last week due to the Houthi offensive.

Strategic islands and the entire Red Sea coast of Yemen have fallen under Houthi control following a week-long offensive, solidifying their grip on the vital Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical waterway for ships transporting goods from Europe to Asia.