Key facts
- Over 120,000 Yemenis have been displaced by a surge in fighting.
Thousands of Yemenis are fleeing by boat across the Bab al-Mandab strait to Djibouti amid a surge in fighting between Houthi rebels and Saudi-backed government forces. The UN estimates over 120,000 people have been displaced by the renewed conflict along Yemen's Red Sea coast.
The escalation of the war in Yemen and the displacement of its population highlight the ongoing humanitarian crisis and the potential for further regional instability. The conflict's proximity to the Bab al-Mandab strait, a vital global shipping lane, raises concerns about potential disruptions to international trade and energy supplies.
Thousands of Yemeni families are fleeing across the Bab al-Mandab strait to Djibouti, seeking refuge from escalating conflict between Houthi rebels and Saudi-backed government forces. The UN estimates that over 120,000 people have been displaced by the recent surge in fighting along Yemen's Red Sea coast.
Refugees, many arriving by boat on fishing vessels, are making their way to camps like Markazi in Obock, Djibouti, which is jointly administered by the Yemeni government and the UN. Families describe fleeing due to the terror caused by bombing, with no clear understanding of which side is responsible. Ibrahim Issa, a fisherman from Dhubab, recounted escaping with his family and goats, while 100-year-old Qassim Abraham Abssy stated that the sound of planes and bombs prompted his flight.
The Houthis have recently advanced down the coast towards the Bab al-Mandab, a critical maritime chokepoint. Saudi Arabia has responded with hundreds of air strikes, while the Houthis have launched drones and missiles into southwestern Saudi Arabia. The conflict has shattered a shaky UN-brokered truce from 2022.
Djibouti, situated across the strait from Yemen, hosts significant military bases for the US and China but has stated it will not involve itself in the conflict. For refugees like Mohammed Abdullarim, who has been in the camp since 2015 after fleeing Aden, the hope is for peace to return to Yemen so they can go home. Aisha Abdulkadir Mohammed, wife of Qassim Abssy, expressed a similar sentiment, emphasizing the need for safety, peace, and basic necessities for their children's future.
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