Over 2,000 Yemenis Flee to Djibouti Amid Renewed Conflict

More than 2,000 individuals fleeing renewed fighting in Yemen have arrived in Djibouti, as reported by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). This influx follows the capture of a key port city on Yemen’s western coast and an island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait by Iran-backed Houthi rebels last week.

The situation has raised concerns about a return to full-scale civil war, prompting tens of thousands of residents to abandon their homes. Some displaced individuals have crossed the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which is approximately 30 kilometers from Yemen.

Djibouti authorities are conducting rescue operations in the strait and providing emergency assistance to the new arrivals. One displaced person, Hussein Haydara, who fled Hodeidah, described the suddenness of the displacement, which left families with little time to gather their belongings amidst shelling and sniper fire.

The IOM indicates that nearly 86,000 people have been displaced by the recent violence, with over 82,000 displaced since the beginning of September, effectively ending a ceasefire that had been in place since 2022.