IOM Reports Over 217,000 Displaced in Yemen as Fighting Escalates on West Coast
- 2026-10-14
- 15:17:17
ADEN — The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has reported that more than 217,000 people were displaced across Yemen in less than two and a half months amid intensified military confrontations along the country's western coast, warning that continued fighting could trigger further displacement and exacerbate humanitarian needs.
In a recent report, the UN migration agency said it had recorded the displacement of 36,216 families, totaling 217,303 individuals, between August 1 and October 12, 2026.
According to the report, Taiz governorate accounted for the largest share of newly displaced people, representing 55 percent of all recorded displacement cases during the reporting period.
The organization noted that ongoing hostilities have limited access to most displacement sites in the governorate, making it increasingly difficult for humanitarian agencies to deliver aid to affected families.
The report identified Jabal Habashi district as the hardest-hit area in Taiz, with 32,346 displaced persons, followed by Al-Ma'afer district with 31,230 people, and Al-Shamayatayn district with 24,942 displaced individuals.
Among governorates hosting displaced populations, Lahj ranked second after Taiz, receiving 45,390 displaced people, while Yemen's interim capital Aden hosted 26,112 displaced persons, according to the report.
The IOM warned that displacement flows are likely to continue as military escalation persists, increasing humanitarian pressures on both displaced families and host communities.
The agency cautioned that the expansion of hostilities could further worsen living conditions and stretch already limited resources in areas receiving large numbers of displaced people.
The organization stressed the growing need for shelter, food assistance, healthcare services, and other forms of humanitarian support, urging sustained efforts to address the mounting needs of populations affected by the conflict.