Fear and desperation have driven thousands of Yemenis across the sea to Djibouti as renewed fighting grips parts of their country.
At least 100,000 people have been displaced since violence escalated this month between government forces and Iran-backed Houthi rebels, according to reports.
More than 2,000 Yemenis have crossed to Djibouti, carrying little more than essential belongings as they seek safety in the small Horn of Africa nation.
Among them is 40-year-old Waheda Muhammad Ali, who fled the coastal town of Dhubab with her family.
“Gunfire was everywhere, we were completely helpless, with no food or water,” Ali said, recalling how children cried during the fighting and explosions.
She said the sea journey lasted almost a full day and that the family prayed throughout the dangerous crossing.
The Houthis, who previously controlled large parts of northern Yemen, have recently expanded their control along the coast, including the port city of Mocha. The group now controls the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a major maritime route linking Asia and Europe.
Another displaced Yemeni, fisherman Qasim Ibn Qasim, said he left with his children and extended family, taking only blankets and clothes.
“We left everything at home,” he said, describing the fear caused by the conflict.
The International Organisation for Migration praised Djibouti for hosting the displaced, many of whom are children. However, Djibouti’s Economy Minister, Ilyas Moussa Dawaleh, said the growing influx was becoming increasingly difficult for the country to manage.
Djibouti, with a population of about one million, is also a major transit point for migrants travelling from the Horn of Africa towards the Middle East.
IOM’s Alexandre Coissac warned that migration routes towards the Gulf could eventually return to high volumes, with migrants potentially taking more dangerous routes as the conflict continues.
