Yemen fighting displaces more than 46,000, UN agency warns
The International Organisation for Migration says displacement is rising rapidly as Houthi forces reportedly seize Mocha and a humanitarian compound.
More than 46,000 people have been displaced in Yemen amid renewed fighting between Houthi rebels and government forces, according to United Nations data.
The International Organisation for Migration said the number was rising “by the hour” and urged all parties to guarantee safe humanitarian access and protect civilians, aid workers and humanitarian facilities.
Many people reportedly fled the Red Sea port city of Mocha overnight after Houthi forces captured it from the internationally recognised government. The IOM said some families had been forced to flee for a second or third time, while entire villages were reportedly abandoned in parts of the country.
The UN also raised concerns over the reported seizure of a key humanitarian compound and its assets in Mocha. UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said all UN personnel had left before the seizure and were safe and accounted for.
The compound supports UN agencies providing assistance to vulnerable communities. Haq said humanitarian personnel, premises and assets must be protected, and called for safe and unimpeded access so life-saving aid could continue.
The latest escalation is unfolding as Yemen faces severe humanitarian and economic pressures. Yemen researcher Farea Al-Muslimi told Al Jazeera that the fighting was worsening conditions in a country already experiencing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
