A significant wave of displacement from Yemen has occurred recently, with Djibouti’s economy and finance minister reporting that roughly 1,400 refugees arrived in the country during a single 24-hour period. In a separate incident described as occurring on an earlier day, approximately 500 people, including women and children, were rescued at sea near the Bab al-Mandeb strait after their boats ran out of fuel during the crossing.
Obock, a coastal city in Djibouti located approximately 20 kilometers from the Yemeni coast, has served as a primary entry point for those escaping the conflict in Yemen over several years. The location also serves as a transit point in the opposite direction, with migrants from the Horn of Africa using the region while traveling through Yemen toward Gulf nations. According to the International Organization for Migration’s humanitarian response coordinator, vulnerable populations including women and children are continuing to arrive at Obock’s shores, with additional arrivals anticipated in the coming days.
The IOM reported that 76,000 people have been internally displaced by fighting in Yemen since July, with numbers increasing fourfold following a new escalation in military hostilities. Recent military operations by Houthi forces have included the seizure of the Red Sea port city of Mocha and subsequent control over surrounding coastlines and islands in the Bab al-Mandeb strait region. These advances have triggered mass exodus patterns, with entire villages reportedly evacuated across multiple districts including Maqbanah, Jabal Habashi, and al-Maafer.
Djibouti currently hosts a substantial refugee and asylum-seeking population. According to United Nations Refugee Agency data from March 2026, the registered population in Djibouti exceeded 36,000 individuals, with the majority originating from Somalia, Ethiopia, and Yemen.
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