Djibouti calls for assistance as thousands of Yemenis flee to country

What the report says

Djibouti is appealing for international help as it faces a sharp rise in arrivals from Yemen, with the interior minister saying the number of people crossing into the country has already gone beyond national capacity. Al Jazeera reported that more than 2,500 Yemenis had reached Djibouti since Thursday last week, and officials expect the total to climb further in the coming weeks.

Interior Minister Omar Abdi Said said the country could see about 10,000 displaced people soon and urged the United Nations and other partners to provide urgent financial support. He said the pressure is increasing as outside funding declines. Djibouti, a small nation on the Horn of Africa across the Red Sea from Yemen, has become a destination for people escaping renewed violence.

According to Al Jazeera, heavy fighting is continuing in western Yemen between the Iran-backed Houthi movement and the internationally recognized government backed by Saudi Arabia. The war has already displaced millions inside Yemen, and the latest escalation has raised fears of further movement across borders.

The International Organization for Migration said its staff and local authorities were providing food and water to new arrivals in Djibouti. It also said many of those arriving each day include women, children, babies and sick people, underscoring the humanitarian strain on a country with a population of less than 1.2 million.