The United Nations warned on Tuesday that renewed fighting in Yemen could trigger a sharp rise in displacement, with up to 10,000 Yemenis potentially fleeing across the Red Sea to neighboring Djibouti in the coming months.
The warning follows an escalation of hostilities in Yemen, a country already grappling with a protracted civil war that began in 2014 and has generated one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.
According to the UN, internal displacement within Yemen could swell to more than 230,000 people as the conflict intensifies, while the number of refugees seeking safety in Djibouti may reach 10,000.
Djibouti, a small nation on the Horn of Africa that borders the Red Sea, has historically served as a transit point for migrants and refugees from the region. The prospect of a sudden influx of thousands of Yemenis raises concerns about the country’s capacity to provide shelter, food and medical care.
The United Nations called on the international community to prepare for the expected surge, emphasizing the need for coordinated humanitarian assistance to both the displaced populations inside Yemen and the potential refugees arriving in Djibouti.
<small>Source: Africanews — read the original story there.</small>
