Yemen Displacement Surges to 76,000

At least 76,000 people have been displaced in Yemen since July, with the number of people fleeing their homes quadrupling over the past week as fighting intensifies between government forces and Iran-backed Houthi fighters, the United Nations said Saturday.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) warned that Yemen is facing a rapidly deteriorating displacement crisis, with civilians fleeing affected areas in search of safety.

More than 70,000 people have been displaced since the beginning of September alone, an IOM spokesman told AFP. The agency had reported 46,000 displacements just a day earlier, up from 18,500 recorded on Tuesday.

The displacement has been concentrated along Yemen’s west coast and in Taiz province. Taiz has been particularly affected, with around 8,300 households — nearly 50,000 people — forced to leave their homes, according to the IOM.

The latest wave of displacement followed a large-scale Houthi offensive against government forces, which has reportedly resulted in hundreds of deaths.

The IOM said many of those fleeing had already been displaced during Yemen’s 12-year conflict, with some families forced to move several times.

“Entire families are on the move, often at night. They have nowhere safe to go,” the agency said, warning that many had fled with little more than the clothes they were wearing.

IOM teams are providing emergency assistance, including shelter materials and hygiene supplies, but the agency said humanitarian needs are rapidly exceeding available resources.

The UN agency warned that displacement figures are expected to rise further in the coming days as fighting continues.