Escalation of fighting on the Red Sea coast

For several weeks, the western part of Yemen has been the scene of intense clashes. Houthi rebels, supported by Iran, carried out an offensive, displacing government forces from other areas on the Red Sea, including the strategic island of Perim (Majjan) in the Bab al-Mandab Strait. This place is of key importance for world trade - one of the most important shipping routes connecting the Red Sea with the Indian Ocean runs through the strait.

According to UN data, over 100,000 people have had to leave their homes since the beginning of September. Many of them had no choice but to flee with only what they could carry. Some refugees decided to make the dangerous sea crossing to Djibouti. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that over 2,000 Yemenis have reached this country in recent days alone. Many of them were sent to makeshift camps, where conditions are very difficult.

Behind each number there is a family that has lost everything. Many people were resettled multiple times. People cross the sea with nothing because they have no other choice, emphasizes Amy Pope, director general of the IOM.

The humanitarian situation in Yemen is dramatic. Families who have had to leave their homes have limited access to food, clean water, shelter, sanitation and medical care. Aid organizations warn that their activities are hampered by ongoing fighting, damaged infrastructure, communication problems and restrictions on movement.

The conflict in Yemen has been ongoing since 2014, when the Houthis captured the country's capital, Sanaa. In 2015, a coalition led by Saudi Arabia, supporting the internationally recognized government, joined the war. While a UN-brokered ceasefire in 2022 has brought some temporary calm, a lasting political settlement remains out of reach.