Fighting in western Yemen has displaced more than 82,000 people in the governorates of Taiz, Hudaydah and Lahij since the beginning of September. According to information released by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than 2,000 of those displaced have reached the shores of Djibouti by sea.
As the number of families leaving the conflict zones increases, local authorities in Aden have begun establishing a camp in the Al-Burayqah district to shelter newly displaced people.
Airstrikes on the Red Sea coast
The Yemeni army said airstrikes targeted Houthi positions and military equipment in the areas of Mokha and Zu Bab, west of Taiz. Military spokesperson Colonel Majid al-Nazili said Houthi elements in the area of operations had been neutralized.
The statement came after the Houthis announced that they had seized the city and port of Mokha on the Red Sea coast, as well as several islands, including Mayyun Island in the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree also said that a total of 58 airstrikes had been carried out on the governorates of Taiz, Lahij, Al Jawf, Hajjah, Al Bayda and Saada over the previous 24 hours.
Both sides report heavy losses
The government-aligned National Resistance Forces said 500 of its soldiers had been killed and approximately 1,500 wounded in clashes between August 9 and September 10.
The same forces claimed that more than 1,000 people had been killed and thousands wounded in Houthi ranks. Yemen’s Health Minister Qasim Buhaibeh called on citizens to donate blood to strengthen the emergency response capacity of health centers in Aden.
Camp for 3,000 to 5,000 people planned in Aden
The new camp being prepared in Al-Burayqah district is planned to have a capacity of 3,000 to 5,000 people. The camp is intended to provide shelter and basic health services to families who fled the areas of Mokha, Hays and Al-Khawkhah.
Yemen and Somalia discuss Red Sea security
Yemeni Foreign Minister Afrah al-Zubai and Somali Foreign Minister Abdisalam Abdi held a telephone conversation. They discussed developments in the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Red Sea, as well as threats to the security of international navigation.
The Somali side reiterated its support for protecting Yemen’s sovereignty and regional security.
