Displacement in Yemen’s West Coast rises to exceed 82,000
- More than 2,000 Yemenis fleeing to Djibouti by sea.
- Over 1,500 total combatants killed in fighting between pro-government forces and Houthis since August.
- Houthis claimed control of Mocha port and key Red Sea islands, including Mayun Island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Intensifying military confrontations between Yemeni government forces and Ansar Allah (Houthi) militants along Yemen’s western coastline have sparked a humanitarian catastrophe, driving tens of thousands from their homes, according to UN reports and local officials.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) confirmed in a recent report that more than 82,000 people have been displaced from the governorates of Taiz, Hodeidah, and Lahj since the beginning of September.
The maritime exodus has extended across the southern Red Sea, with the IOM recording the arrival of more than 2,000 refugees via sea routes on the shores of Djibouti.
In response to the mounting humanitarian strain in Aden, Health Minister Dr. Qasim Buhaibeh issued an urgent appeal calling on citizens to donate blood to reinforce hospital capacities.
Concurrently, local authorities in Aden announced the construction of a new displacement camp in the Al-Buraiqeh district.
Designed to accommodate between 3,000 and 5,000 individuals, the facility aims to provide shelter and basic health services to families fleeing Mocha, Hays, and Khawkhah.
Heavy casualties
On the battlefield, pro-government National Resistance forces disclosed severe casualties sustained during heavy fighting along the western coast between August 9 and September 10, reporting 500 of their soldiers killed and approximately 1,500 wounded.
The force claimed that over 1,000 Houthi fighters were killed during the same period.
Yemeni Armed Forces spokesperson Colonel Majid Al-Nuzaili stated via X that government air operations targeted Houthi positions, personnel, and equipment across the Mocha and Dhubab areas in western Taiz governorate.
Conversely, Houthi military sources declared full control over the coastal city of Mocha and its strategic Red Sea port, alongside several offshore islands—including Mayun Island situated directly within the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree reported that coalition warplanes conducted 58 airstrikes over a 24-hour period, striking targets in Taiz, Lahj, Al-Jawf, Hajjah, Al-Bayda, and Saada governorates.
Diplomatic talks
Amid the territorial shifts, diplomatic efforts focused on maintaining maritime security along vital trade lanes.
Yemeni Foreign Minister Dr. Afrah Al-Zouba held a telephone conversation with her Somali counterpart, Abdusalam Abdi Ali, to evaluate developments in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea.
The two ministers reviewed ongoing threats to international maritime navigation, with the Somali side reaffirming its support for Yemen’s territorial sovereignty and regional security.
