The key facts
- About 260,000 people have been displaced in Yemen since the beginning of August, nearly half of them in Taiz province (OCHA).
- OHCHR confirmed 251 civilian casualties: 57 killed (half of them children) and 194 injured.
- Taiz authorities warn of a 'looming catastrophe' for newborns due to shortages of fuel and medicines amid the Houthi blockade.
Scale of population displacement
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported in a statement published on Wednesday evening that since the beginning of August hostilities have forced nearly 260,000 people to flee their homes. Almost half of them are seeking shelter in Taiz province. According to OCHA, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) confirmed 251 casualties among civilians: 57 killed and 194 injured. Half of those killed are children.
Humanitarian response and needs
Despite extremely difficult conditions, humanitarian partners have since August assisted more than 174,000 displaced people — nearly six out of ten displaced households — providing food, hygiene kits and emergency cash assistance in the first days after flight. According to OCHA, families who recently left their homes cite shelter as the most urgent need, followed by food and cash. The agency called on all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, comply with international humanitarian law, and ensure the safe and sustained passage of humanitarian aid and essential commercial goods into and through Taiz.
Warning of a healthcare crisis in Taiz
Local authorities in Taiz warned that premature babies and newborns in the hospitals of the provincial capital face a looming healthcare crisis due to shortages of fuel and medicines amid the Houthi blockade. The Taiz Blockade Affairs Office stated that 'a looming catastrophe threatens the lives of children and newborns in the hospitals of Taiz city due to the blockade imposed on the city by the Houthi terrorist militia.' The office warned that shortages of fuel, medicines and medical supplies needed to operate incubators and provide basic care, as well as difficulties delivering supplies, threaten vital services and expose young patients to serious risks. It called for urgent intervention to provide fuel, medicines and medical supplies, keep neonatal and premature infant wards operating, and protect children from interruptions in care.
Military situation and conflict context
Since the new escalation of hostilities on several fronts in July, government forces and their allies have announced the recapture of the strategic Bab al-Mandeb strait and areas of the Dhubab district. After advancing in rural areas of Taiz, the Houthis imposed a tight blockade on Taiz city from the surrounding heights to the north, west and east. The conflict in Yemen intensified after the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and several provinces in September 2014. The Saudi Arabia-led coalition intervened in March 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government.
