Yemen coastguard flees to Djibouti after Houthi takeover

Yemen's internationally supported coastguard has fled to Djibouti as Houthi forces took control of the country's southwestern coast. The coastguard had received significant funding from the UK and other Western nations to combat piracy and prevent smuggling along the Red Sea. Many of the coastguard members left during the Houthi advance on Mokha last week and are currently in Djibouti, along with thousands of other displaced Yemenis.

The UK, along with other Western countries, is still providing support to the remnants of the coastguard, but it will now be limited to the Gulf of Aden under Yemeni government control. The Houthis claim to have seized advanced coastal surveillance equipment from the coastguard, which they believe will undermine efforts to restrict their smuggling networks that extend into the Horn of Africa and have links to Al Shabab and the Sudanese Armed Forces.

This loss of support from the coastguard marks a significant setback for international efforts to curb the supply of weapons and other materials to the Houthis.