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Yemen UNHCR Update, 28 Feb – 13 March 2018

Countries
Yemen
Sources
UNHCR
Publication date

KEY FIGURES

22.2 million people in need

2,014,026 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)

89 per cent of IDPs displaced for more than a year

956,076 IDP returnees

1,015,375 recipients of CRIs since March 2015

280,692 refugees and asylum seekers

Funding

USD 198.7 M requested in 2018

Operational Update

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is outraged and saddened at continuing civilian deaths in Yemen, including internally displaced persons (IDPs). A house was targeted by hostilities in Gohza, Sa’ada Governorate, causing the death of seven displaced Yemenis on 28 February. The house was sheltering three IDP families who fled Haydan district in Sa’ada three years ago. Five women, including an expectant mother, were among those dead. The incident also left six other IDPs wounded by the incident. UNHCR visited the survivors, providing core relief items (CRIs) and emergency shelter support. The war in Yemen continues to take a disproportionate toll on the civilian population. UNHCR reiterates that civilians, including those fleeing for safety, must be protected and parties to the conflict must adhere to their obligation enshrined under International Humanitarian Law.

Hostilities on frontlines continued to result in new displacement. Intense fighting in the districts of Al Khawkhah, Al Garrahi and Hays in southern Hudaydah, and Mokha and Mawza in Taizz, have forced families to flee.

Speaking to UNHCR during protection monitoring and distribution missions, IDPs described their struggle with lack of work opportunities, restricted access to food, inadequate accommodation with entire families sheltering in one room or in overcrowded collective shelters. Despite now feeling safe from bombardment, families spoke of the overwhelming disappointment of leaving everything behind. UNHCR has also observed a rise in psychological distress as war takes its toll on Yemen’s population, with a lack of specialized services further exposing those displaced to increasing vulnerability and harm.