Over 2,000 Yemenis flee to Djibouti as fighting intensifies

More than 2,000 Yemenis have fled to Djibouti as the conflict between Houthi rebels and government forces escalates, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The number of displaced people has reached 85,818 since the beginning of the year, with 82,000 arriving since September. Ilyas M Dawaleh, Djibouti’s Economy and Finance Minister, reported that 1,400 Yemenis arrived in the country within the last 24 hours, surpassing the 2,000 mark as of Sunday's figures.

On Friday, Dawaleh disclosed that 500 refugees, including women and children, had been rescued at sea near the Bab al-Mandeb strait and arrived in the coastal city of Obock. This city, just 20 kilometers across the water from Yemen, has been a common destination for those seeking refuge from the war. The strait is also a route used by migrants from the Horn of Africa.

Humanitarian response coordinator Safiya Ibrahim stated that vulnerable groups like women and children have reached Obock, with more expected to follow. Djibouti currently hosts over 36,000 refugees and asylum seekers, primarily from Somalia, Ethiopia, and Yemen. The Houthi rebels took control of the Red Sea port city of Mocha on Thursday and have since advanced along the coastline and islands surrounding the Bab al-Mandeb strait.

This swift offensive has prompted thousands of families to abandon their homes, with entire villages reportedly abandoned in regions such as Maqbanah, Jabal Habashi, and al-Maafer.