More than 10,000 could flee Yemen fighting to Djibouti: UN
GENEVA: Renewed fighting in Yemen could see the number of refugees fleeing across the Red Sea to Djibouti jump to 10,000, while displacement inside Yemen could swell to over 230,000, the UN warned Tuesday.
Geneva: The United Nations has issued a warning that renewed fighting in Yemen could result in over 10,000 refugees fleeing to Djibouti by sea, with displacement within Yemen potentially reaching 230,000, the UN warned on Tuesday. The Iran-backed Houthis recently seized control of Yemen's Red Sea coastline, a move that has resulted in hundreds of casualties on both sides, disrupted global trade and driven up energy prices.
The ongoing fighting between Houthis and government forces, supported by Saudi Arabia, has triggered a new humanitarian crisis. More than 100,000 civilians have already been displaced within Yemen, while others have taken perilous sea journeys to escape the violence. With more intense fighting in Yemen, the United Nations refugee agency expressed concern that mass displacement could intensify.
Already, over 3,000 people have crossed the Red Sea to Djibouti in just one week, and the UNHCR anticipates this number to surge significantly, particularly after mid-October when sea conditions are expected to improve. The agency and its partners are now preparing for more than 10,000 arrivals in Djibouti over the coming months, according to Babar Baloch, a UNHCR spokesman in Geneva.
Simultaneously, the number of internally displaced persons in Yemen could surge from more than 130,000 to over 230,000, on top of the 5.2 million people already displaced before the conflict reignited. Baloch emphasized that the renewed conflict is exacerbating an already dire crisis in Yemen, where an estimated 22 million people require humanitarian aid.
He cautioned that a severe funding shortfall is impeding the response, with UNHCR's Yemen operation currently only 18% funded for 2026. The agency estimates that US$25 million is urgently needed to provide aid to around 231,000 people. UNHCR's operations in Djibouti are also severely underfunded, at just 15% of the required US$13.5 million to ensure arrivals receive registration, reception, protection, and other essential services.
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