More than 112,000 people have been displaced by intensified fighting in Yemen, while nearly 3,000 others have fled across the Red Sea to Djibouti, according to the United Nations.
The fighting involves the Iran-allied Houthi movement and forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognised government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said most of those displaced were forced from their homes during the past two weeks, particularly in areas along Yemen’s western coast and in the provinces of Taiz and Lahj.
IOM mission chief in Yemen, Abdusattor Esoev, warned that humanitarian resources are running dangerously low and could soon be exhausted.
The United Nations estimates that around 22 million Yemenis, nearly half of the country’s population, urgently need humanitarian assistance.
More than 65,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers, mainly from Somalia and Ethiopia, are also at risk as the conflict continues.
Thousands Escape to Djibouti
The UN refugee agency said about 3,000 Yemenis have crossed the Bab al-Mandeb Strait by boat to Djibouti. More than 2,400 people reportedly made the journey in the past week, most of them women, children and elderly people.
UN officials said the crisis is worsening rapidly, with thousands of women fleeing with their children after losing their homes and possessions.
About 2,000 pregnant women are believed to be among those displaced, with around 200 expected to give birth soon.
The growing influx is placing additional pressure on Djibouti, a country of about one million people that already hosts approximately 36,000 refugees, mainly from Somalia and Ethiopia.
The Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, is a strategically important global shipping route.
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