Nearly 3,000 people have fled Yemen for Djibouti in less than a week, as escalating violence continues to drive displacement both within Yemen and across its borders, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said Friday.
According to UNHCR, refugees have continued arriving in Djibouti by boat after undertaking difficult journeys across the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the key maritime routes connecting Yemen and the Horn of Africa.
Sandrine Desamours, UNHCR's representative in Djibouti, told reporters in Geneva that refugees were arriving through several coastal locations, including Obock, Khor Angar, Moulhoule and Godoria.
“Refugees continue to arrive by boat through Obock, Khor Angar, Moulhoule and Godoria after difficult journeys in small vessels,” Desamours said.
The latest arrivals include a significant number of vulnerable people. More than half of those making the crossing are reportedly women and children, according to UNHCR.
Some of the families arriving in Djibouti have also experienced displacement more than once. UNHCR said some had previously fled Yemen during the 2015 crisis, only to return to the country before being forced to leave again as violence and insecurity worsened.
The refugee agency is preparing for the possibility of at least 10,000 additional arrivals, but warned that its capacity to accommodate and assist displaced people is rapidly being stretched.
The situation is particularly evident at Markazi refugee village, which was designed to accommodate approximately 5,000 people. The facility was already hosting more than 2,700 Yemenis and 1,500 Eritreans, leaving limited additional space as more people continue to arrive.
The growing movement of people across the border is occurring alongside a major displacement crisis inside Yemen itself.
UNHCR reported that more than 100,000 people have been displaced within Yemen, with fighting intensifying in several areas, particularly along the country's western coast.
The continued violence has also placed additional pressure on an already fragile healthcare system.
According to World Health Organization (WHO) spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic, only 60% of 5,415 assessed health facilities in Yemen are fully functioning.
The limited capacity is particularly concerning as the country faces growing emergency health needs. Jasarevic said only 6% of the assessed health facilities provide a full package of trauma care, despite the increasing demand associated with conflict and displacement.
The health situation is further complicated by outbreaks of infectious diseases and severe malnutrition among children.
More than 18,000 suspected measles cases and 106 deaths have been reported in Yemen this year, while health authorities have also recorded 390 suspected or confirmed diphtheria cases and 13 deaths, according to the WHO figures cited by Jasarevic.
Children are among those facing some of the most severe consequences of the humanitarian crisis. Around 30,000 children experience severe acute malnutrition with complications annually, while some therapeutic feeding centres are operating at approximately 120% of their bed capacity.
The overcrowding at treatment centres reflects the pressure facing humanitarian and health organisations as they attempt to respond to the nutritional needs of vulnerable children.
Access to affected populations is also presenting a major challenge. Jasarevic said humanitarian access remains particularly difficult in northern Yemen, where UN operations have been suspended in 90 priority districts.
The restrictions and insecurity have complicated efforts to deliver healthcare and other essential assistance to communities affected by conflict, displacement and disease.
Funding shortages are adding another layer of difficulty to the humanitarian response.
Jasarevic said the WHO had secured only $490,000 through its Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE) to date. He warned that a significant funding gap remained to maintain and expand the health response required across Yemen.
The combination of escalating violence, population displacement, limited healthcare capacity, disease outbreaks, severe child malnutrition and inadequate funding has created significant challenges for humanitarian organisations operating in the country.
For Djibouti, the rapid arrival of thousands of people from Yemen is also placing pressure on existing refugee facilities and humanitarian resources. UNHCR's preparations for potentially 10,000 additional arrivals reflect concerns that displacement across the Bab el-Mandeb Strait could continue if the security situation in Yemen deteriorates further.
The latest developments underline the regional consequences of Yemen's conflict, with violence affecting not only communities inside the country but also neighbouring states receiving people seeking safety.
UN agencies have continued to highlight the need for humanitarian assistance, adequate funding and safe access to affected populations as the displacement and health crises deepen.
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