Wahida Mohammed Ali, a 40-year-old Yemeni woman, embarked on a terrifying sea journey from the Middle East to Africa to escape the severe fighting in her hometown of Yemen. Since the beginning of this month, more than 100,000 people have fled Yemen due to the escalation of conflicts between government forces and Houthi rebels, who control Yemen's coasts.
The Difficult Situation of Yemenis in Djibouti
The Djibouti government has announced that over 2,000 Yemenis have traveled to this small country in the Horn of Africa. These individuals, in search of safety, have taken a perilous sea route. Alexander Kuesak, head of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) mission in Djibouti, noted that some of these individuals have brought household items such as sheep, refrigerators, and even solar panels to Djibouti, as the situation seems unlikely to improve soon.
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Wahida Mohammed Ali, from the coastal city of Dhubab in Yemen, said: "There was fire everywhere and we were completely defenseless, without food or water. The children were terrified of the fighting and explosions... we kept praying to arrive safely."
Consequences of the War in Yemen
The Houthi rebels previously controlled large parts of northern Yemen, including the capital Sana'a and the port city of Hodeidah. However, this month, they made rapid advances along Yemen's coasts and last Thursday captured the port city of Al-Mokha. They now control the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait, a vital passage for maritime traffic between Asia and Europe.
Hundreds have been killed in these conflicts. Wahida Ali, whose sea journey lasted nearly a day, described the difficult living conditions in Yemen, saying: "Planes were flying overhead. Everything was destroyed. We had no choice but to flee."
Djibouti's Minister of Economy, Elias Moussa Dawaleh, stated in a statement that the situation for his country is becoming increasingly difficult. Djibouti, with an area of 23,000 square kilometers and a population of less than one million, faces many challenges in hosting such a high number of refugees.
The International Organization for Migration has praised Djibouti's kindness in hosting homeless individuals but warned that the flow of migration to the Gulf may decrease due to the conflicts and could return to high levels in the near future.
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