Yemenis Flee Red Sea Coast Amid Escalating Conflict, Seeking Refuge in Djibouti

Thousands of Yemenis are fleeing their coastal homes as renewed fighting between Houthi rebels and Saudi-backed forces escalates along Yemen's Red Sea coast. The exodus has led to a surge in refugees arriving in Djibouti, across the Bab al-Mandab strait, seeking safety.

Ibrahim Issa, 50, from the coastal town of Dhubab, described the terror of the escalating conflict. "When the sound of the planes start, and the kids hear the planes, they begin shouting and screaming," he said, now sheltering with his family in the Markazi camp in Obock, Djibouti. "That is why we fled, to save them."

Families, including Ibrahim Issa's, have made the perilous sea crossing in fishing boats, some bringing essential belongings and even livestock. More than 3,000 refugees have arrived in Djibouti in recent days, with the UN estimating over 120,000 Yemenis displaced by the surge in fighting.

This latest wave of displacement follows the Houthis' recent advance down the coast towards the strategically vital Bab al-Mandab strait. In response, Saudi Arabia, which supports Yemen's internationally recognized government, has conducted numerous airstrikes. The Houthis, in turn, have launched drones and missiles at targets within Saudi Arabia.

Refugees at the Markazi camp expressed a unified sentiment: their flight is driven by the indiscriminate nature of the conflict. "We don't care which side it is that's attacking," one refugee stated. "It's the bombs falling all around us that have caused us to flee."

Djibouti, while hosting the refugees, has maintained a neutral stance in the conflict. The nation itself hosts significant foreign military bases, including those of the United States and China.

Among the new arrivals is Qassim Abraham Abssy, a 100-year-old former fisherman, who recounted similar reasons for fleeing. "It was the planes. The sounds of the planes, boom! That's what made us flee, for the sake of our children. They are bombing everywhere, because the Houthis are everywhere."

Some refugees, like 63-year-old former tour guide Mohammed Abdullarim from Aden, have been in Djibouti since the conflict initially flared up in 2015. He expressed deep empathy for the new arrivals, moved to tears by their suffering while also expressing gratitude for the sanctuary provided by Djibouti.

"Most of the people here are in the worst condition, inside the tents here. I am very touched, I'm crying for these people, for my people, for their suffering," he said. "I want our voices to be heard by the NGOs and the Djibouti government. And I'm thankful to them for accepting us."

The conflict in Yemen, a civil war that has raged since 2014, has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and millions displaced. A fragile UN-brokered truce that had previously held between the Saudis and the Houthis has recently deteriorated, leading to intensified hostilities.

For those who have found refuge in Djibouti, the immediate priority is peace. "If the war continues then we're not going back because we have peace here," said Qassim Abssy. His wife, Aisha Abdulkadir Mohammed, echoed this sentiment, stating, "We are willing to go back in peace if peace returns to our country... All we need is peace, even for our children's future."

The ongoing fighting not only causes immense human suffering but also poses a threat to the critical maritime trade route through the Bab al-Mandab strait, impacting global oil exports. However, the most immediate and devastating consequence remains the displacement and hardship faced by the Yemeni people.