Migration & Borders
Yemen refugees: more than 2,000 reach Djibouti, UN says
More than 2,000 people fleeing fighting in Yemen have arrived in Djibouti this week, the International Organization for Migration said Sunday, as Houthi fighters expanded their control along Yemen's Red Sea coast.
The UN migration agency said the first arrivals landed on Thursday evening. Djibouti's economy and finance minister Ilyas Moussa Dawaleh had put the figure at about 1,400 people on Saturday.
The movement followed a week-long Houthi offensive against Saudi-backed government forces. The Houthis captured the port city of Mocha on Thursday and later took the remaining Red Sea coast and several strategic islands, cementing their hold on the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
The strait lies between Yemen and Djibouti and is a key route for shipping between Europe and Asia. It has become important for Saudi oil exports after Iran began blocking the Strait of Hormuz at the start of the Middle East war.
The United Nations says at least 76,000 people have been displaced inside Yemen since July, with the number quadrupling in the past week as a result of the Houthi offensive.
Djibouti, a small Horn of Africa country of about one million people, is also a frequent transit point for migrants leaving Africa in hopes of reaching Gulf states. It hosts military bases from the United States, China, Japan, France and Italy.
Update
The International Organization for Migration said more than 2,000 people fleeing hostilities in Yemen had arrived on Djibouti's shores.
The IOM told AFP that the first arrivals landed on Thursday evening.
The earlier figure of about 1,400 arrivals from Djibouti's economy and finance minister was superseded by the IOM's higher figure.
Source note: AFP news report published on 13 September 2026 at 10:02:48 UTC.
Update
Djibouti's economy and finance minister said about 1,400 refugees arrived from Yemen in 24 hours.
An International Organization for Migration coordinator said vulnerable groups, including women and children, had reached Obock in Djibouti.
The IOM coordinator said more arrivals were expected in the coming days.
Source note: AFP news report published on 12 September 2026 at 21:45:04 UTC.
Update
The UN migration agency said about 76,000 people had been displaced, quadruple the figure from last week.
Donald Trump said the Houthis had called the United States and did not want to fight with it.
Axios reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman twice called Trump to request American strikes on the Houthis last week.
The source adds that the Houthis have resumed attacks on ships in the Red Sea after declaring a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia.
Source note: AFP news report published on 12 September 2026 at 16:50:58 UTC.
Update
Yemen's Riyadh-backed government forces said Saturday they struck Houthi fighters in the Red Sea city of Mocha.
The government news agency Saba reported that government forces destroyed vehicles and weapons and killed Houthi fighters near Mocha's port.
Government forces spokesman Majed Abdullah al-Nazili said strikes also hit Houthi vehicles and fighters on the Mocha-Dhubab road, 11 kilometres from the city.
Nazili called on civilians not to use the Taiz-Mocha and Mocha-Dhubab roads.
Source note: AFP news report published on 12 September 2026 at 09:05:53 UTC.
Update
Saudi Arabia has ordered troop reinforcements from Aden, according to the item.
The office of Iraq's prime minister said the commander in charge of southern Maysan province was dismissed after confirmation that attacks on Saudi Arabia originated from a location in the governorate.
Mohammad Mokhber, an adviser to Iranian supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, congratulated the Houthis on what he called a victory.
Source note: AFP news report published on 12 September 2026 at 00:29:59 UTC.
Update
Saudi Arabia's energy ministry said attacks on Thursday morning hit the East-West pipeline in the Riyadh and Medina regions.
The ministry said the pipeline was stopped as a precaution and that the attacks caused some injuries.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 September 2026 at 19:20:56 UTC.
Update
Mohammad Mokhber, an adviser to Iranian supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, congratulated the Houthis on what he called a “resounding victory”.
Oil prices have risen past $100 a barrel this week, and average US diesel prices topped $6 for the first time on Friday.
Yemeni government forces said they had begun shelling areas along the Taiz-Mocha road, while residents reported hearing airstrikes.
A local official said Mocha's seaport was hit by six missiles of unknown origin.
A Chatham House research fellow said the Houthi gains increased Iranian-aligned influence over another strategic Middle East chokepoint.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 September 2026 at 18:20:53 UTC.
Update
Government officials said the Houthis captured three strategic islands: Mayyun, Greater Hanish and Lesser Hanish.
Iranian adviser Mohammad Mokhber congratulated the Houthis on what he called a resounding victory.
The Houthis' military spokesman said navigation through Bab al-Mandab was safe for all except Saudi ships.
The source item links the advance to Saudi Arabia's reliance on the Red Sea after Iran's Hormuz blockade.
The Houthis carried out a missile and drone attack on Saudi Arabia this week that wounded 73, according to the supplied account.
The UN Security Council met Thursday on the conflict, and Yemen envoy Hans Grundberg urged action to contain it.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 September 2026 at 14:58:41 UTC.
Update
A Yemeni government military official said the Houthis had seized Yemen's entire Red Sea coast.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 September 2026 at 14:13:48 UTC.
Update
A Yemeni military official said the Houthis seized the last two islands in the Bab al-Mandab area.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 September 2026 at 13:46:49 UTC.
Update
The Houthis said navigation through Bab al-Mandab was safe for all except Saudi Arabia.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 September 2026 at 13:23:28 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The precise status of the arrivals is described as people fleeing hostilities; the item does not provide individual asylum or registration status.
The figures for arrivals in Djibouti and displacement inside Yemen come from different authorities and cover different groups, so they should not be combined.
Source
AFP news report published on .