UN Warns Yemen Displacement Could Rise as 10,000 Seek Djibouti Refuge

The United Nations has warned that renewed fighting in Yemen could drive as many as 10,000 Yemenis across the Red Sea to Djibouti by next month, while the number of people displaced inside Yemen could exceed 230,000.

UNHCR said about 3,000 Yemenis have already risked the dangerous sea journey to Djibouti since the beginning of September. The agency said arrivals could increase as difficult sea conditions improve.

Displacement rises along Yemen’s coast

More than 130,000 people have been displaced inside Yemen following the advance of Houthi rebels along the coast, according to the source report. The UN has warned that internal displacement could rise further as fighting continues.

The projected figure would come on top of the 5.2 million people already displaced in Yemen after years of war. Djibouti is rushing to provide assistance to thousands of new Yemeni arrivals.

Agencies appeal for funding

UNHCR said its operations in Djibouti are only 15 percent funded. The agency is appealing for more than $13 million to maintain essential services for people affected by the movement across the Red Sea.

It also said it urgently needs $25 million to provide assistance to people displaced inside Yemen.

The figures of 10,000 people fleeing to Djibouti and more than 230,000 displaced within Yemen are projections issued as warnings, rather than confirmed totals. The UN and UNHCR have called for additional funding as the humanitarian needs grow.