Nearly 86,000 people flee fighting in Yemen, UN says

Nearly 86,000 individuals have been forced to flee their homes due to renewed fighting between Yemen's government forces and the Houthi rebels, according to the United Nations. This figure has surged by around 10,000 people in a single day, as reported by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Sunday. Many of those affected have been displaced multiple times, with some crossing the sea with nothing but the clothes on their backs, according to Amy Pope, the Director General of IOM.

Pope warned that Yemen, a nation already grappling with poverty and conflict, cannot bear this crisis alone.

Over 2,000 of the displaced, including numerous women and young children, have attempted to flee by boat from Yemen to Djibouti since Thursday evening. These individuals are being provided with immediate assistance at a site in Obock, northern Djibouti. The IOM expects more people to leave as the fighting escalates, and additional support is desperately needed.

The report sheds light on the deteriorating human rights situation in Yemen, where clashes between the Houthi rebels and forces loyal to the internationally recognized government, backed by Saudi Arabia, have intensified since September 3. Hundreds have been killed in these confrontations. Moreover, the Houthi rebels have launched cross-border attacks on Saudi Arabia, while Saudi forces reportedly continue to conduct air strikes on Houthi-held regions in Yemen.

The Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms (YNRF) documented more than 950 civilian rights violations in the western coast front lines, following the Houthi rebels' entry into these cities. Preliminary information indicates that the Houthi rebels have looted the contents of numerous homes and private properties, as well as conducted a widespread arrest campaign against civilians and military personnel to compel their relatives to return, surrender, and hand over their weapons.