The renewed escalation of fighting in Yemen’s Taiz and Hudaydah governorates has forced around 18,500 people to leave their homes since September 3.
The United Nations-affiliated International Organization for Migration said renewed clashes along the western coast and in parts of Taiz and Hudaydah had displaced thousands of people. The organization said there were reports of some civilians being killed or wounded.
Fighting spreads to new fronts
Military clashes between Yemeni government forces and the Houthis have intensified in recent days across several governorates, particularly Taiz, Al Jawf, Al Bayda and Hudaydah.
The estimate of around 18,500 displaced people is based on data from the International Organization for Migration’s displacement tracking system, the Yemeni government and other partners. The organization warned that the figure could rise further within hours as fighting continues.
Urgent needs of displaced families grow
Abdulsattar Isayuf, head of the International Organization for Migration’s mission in Yemen, said families were arriving without shelter or food and did not know whether they could return safely.
Isayuf said many families had previously been forced to flee once, twice or even four times, adding that they were losing the lives they had rebuilt during each new period of fighting.
Continued fighting and deteriorating security conditions along transit routes are increasing concerns that some families may be unable to move safely away from front lines.
Local resources strained in southern Taiz and along the western coast
Urban centers and host communities in southern Taiz and along the western coast are facing mounting pressure as newly displaced families arrive. Local resources have come under strain in Al-Mukha, Hays, Mawza, Al-Ma’afer and Jabal Habashi.
As the number of displaced people rises and local capacity falls short, authorities have called for additional support for humanitarian partners and United Nations agencies.
Road closures caused by the fighting and disruptions to communication networks in damaged areas are making it harder to reach newly displaced families, register them and verify their circumstances.
Displaced families need emergency cash assistance, temporary shelter, basic household items and food.
Background to the war in Yemen
The war in Yemen began after the Houthis seized control of the capital, Sana’a, and parts of the country in September 2014. A Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened in March 2015 to support the internationally recognized government.
