Surge in refugees following fighting in southwestern Yemen

Key points

• At least 46,000 people have been displaced since new fighting began last week in southwest Yemen – the number is “increasing all the time”, IOM says
• Houthi fighters have seized the strategic port of Mokha on the Red Sea, triggering mass departures
• At least 14 civilians, including two children, were killed or injured this month, according to OCHA; WHO recorded 67 deaths and 288 injuries between 6–24 August
• Only 60 percent of Yemen’s health facilities are fully operational, WHO says, as hospitals face a surge in trauma cases
• IOM called for safe humanitarian access and protection of aid workers and infrastructure

The number is approaching 50,000, which as of Thursday included areas of the West Coast and Taiz provinces, “is increasing alarmingly every hour”, the UN agency warned. The numbers, which as of Thursday included the West Coast provinces and Taiz, “are increasing alarmingly every hour”, the UN agency warned.

Overnight, large numbers of people were reportedly seen leaving Mokha with their belongings, after Houthi fighters took control of the strategically important Red Sea port city earlier this week.

Houthi forces and the Yemeni government, backed by a Saudi Arabian-led coalition, have been involved in a power struggle since 2014.

After years of relative calm, Yemen was embroiled in war again in July, drawn into a regional conflict sparked in late February by a US-Israeli attack on Iran.

Clashes that erupted last week have left hundreds of people dead on both sides, most of them combatants, according to media reports.

As the conflict between the Houthis and Saudi forces escalates, Pro-government forces reportedly withdrew on Friday from an island base in the narrow Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the militants vowed to continue targeting Saudi vessels there..

On the run again

“Many families have been forced to flee for the second or third time since the start of this conflict, and there is almost nothing leftAmy Pope said, that IOM Director General.

“As the fighting spreads, reaching people with life-saving assistance becomes increasingly difficult.”

New arrivals were reported in Lahj and Aden provinces. There are also reports of people moving north towards Ibb.

Society is under pressure

The IOM said entire villages had been evacuated in three districts of Taiz – Maqbanah, Jabal Habashi and Al Ma’afer – as fighting moved closer to populated areas.

The road connecting Mokha to Taiz, an important supply route, is reportedly cut and host communities in the region are under increasing pressure.

IOM calls on all parties to ensure safe and sustainable humanitarian access.

They were also urged to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers, shelter, and assets across the country, as well as restore communication and transport links necessary for aid delivery.

This is especially important as emergency supplies have been depleted due to recent flood relief efforts. IOM said the most pressing needs are shelter, food, water, household supplies, health services and protection support.

Many civilian casualties

This escalation also caused civilian casualties. At least 14 civilians, including two children, have been killed or injured since the start of this monthUnited Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) said on Thursday,

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) recorded 67 deaths and 288 injuries between August 6-24 in seven governorates.

The victims were reported in several areas, from Marib and Hadramout in the east, to Al-Hodeidah in the west, and Taiz in the southwest, as well as Shabwah, Al-Dhale’a and Lahj in the south.

Health services have taken a hit

In addition to the death toll, the return of fighting has also placed a heavy burden on Yemen’s already fragile health system.

Hospitals in Marib, Hadramaut and Taiz are facing an influx of trauma patients, increasing pressure on already overwhelmed emergency, surgical and intensive care units.

According to WHO, only 60 percent of health facilities in Yemen are fully operational. Therefore, hospitals and emergency services across the country are simultaneously facing a sharp increase in demand and limited capacity.

At Marib General Hospital, maternity and obstetric services were temporarily suspended to provide additional resources to treat the injured. The number of victims who died also exceeded the capacity of the morgue.

The reallocation of resources to trauma care impacts all patients, while healthcare facilities are already experiencing shortages of staff, beds, and medical supplies.