UN agencies: Over 112,000 people internally displaced in Yemen
Geneva, 18 Sep (KUNA) -- Several United Nations agencies warned on Friday of a deteriorating humanitarian situation in Yemen, recording the displacement of more than 112,000 people, most of whom were displaced during the last two weeks due to escalating fighting, at a time when more than 22 million people—approximately half the population—require humanitarian assistance.
The remarks were made during a joint press conference in Geneva by several UN agencies, including the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Abdul Sattar Aisouf, head of the IOM mission in Yemen, speaking via video link from Aden, stated that "the humanitarian situation has deteriorated sharply in recent days," noting that the wave of displacement was largely from along the western coast and from Taiz Governorate.
Sandraine Deschamps, representative of the UNHCR, said that approximately 3,000 people had arrived in Djibouti in less than a week after crossing the sea in perilous journeys. She noted that, according to projections by the Djiboutian government and UNHCR, an additional 10,000 refugees could arrive as fighting in Yemen intensifies.
She added that the UNHCR office in Djibouti is currently funded at only 15 percent, urging the urgent provision of approximately five million dollars to ensure that refugees arriving from Yemen receive registration, reception, protection, and basic services. She also called for an additional 14 million dollars urgently to provide shelter, relief supplies, site management, and support for newly displaced families within Yemen.
For her part, Shabia Mantoo, spokesperson for the OHCHR, explained that the commission has documented 31 incidents resulting in 28 deaths and 82 injuries since the escalation of fighting in several governorates, including Taiz, Hodeidah, and Marib. She called for immediate action to de-escalate tensions, protect civilians, and facilitate humanitarian access.
Tariq Jasarevic, spokesperson for the WHO, also warned of the additional pressures that the escalation is placing on Yemen’s health system, which is already suffering from the consequences of the conflict, displacement, disease outbreaks, food insecurity, malnutrition, and limited health services.
He clarified that an assessment conducted by the organization prior to the escalation, covering more than 5,000 health service units, showed that only 60 units were operating at full capacity, 35 were partially operational, and four were non-functional.
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