Nearly 1,400 Families Displaced in Western Yemen in One Day Amid Escalating Fighting

SANAA, Sep 9: Nearly 1,400 families were newly displaced in western Yemen in a single day amid escalating fighting between government forces and the Houthi group, authorities said Wednesday.

The government-run Executive Unit for the Management of Displaced Persons Camps said 1,367 families were displaced on September 8 across the provinces of Taiz, Al-Hudaydah and Lahj, according to a statement carried by the official Saba news agency.

The latest displacement brings the total number of families recorded as displaced across the three provinces since the beginning of September to 6,145.

Authorities attributed the latest wave of displacement to continued military escalation and growing concerns over civilian safety.

Field teams are registering newly displaced families, verifying their locations and assessing their humanitarian needs in coordination with local authorities, aid agencies and other partners.

The unit urged humanitarian organizations and donors to expand their response, warning of increasing demand for shelter, food, water, essential supplies and healthcare, as well as the possibility of further displacement.

The displacement comes amid intensified fighting between Yemeni government forces and the Houthis on several fronts in recent weeks, particularly in Taiz, Al-Jawf and Al-Bayda. Airstrikes have also been reported against Houthi positions.

Government forces and the Houthis reported clashes Wednesday in Taiz, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale and Al-Hudaydah. Government-aligned forces have also sent reinforcements to the strategic western coastal city of Mocha, near the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

Yemen has been mired in conflict since the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and other parts of the country in September 2014. A Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened in March 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government.