RismadarVoice Reporters
September 13, 2026
About 1,400 people have fled Yemen for neighbouring Djibouti within 24 hours as Houthi fighters tighten their grip around the strategic Bab-el-Mandeb Strait.
Djibouti’s Minister of Economy and Finance, Ilyas Moussa Dawaleh, disclosed the figure in a post on X on Saturday.
He said the refugees arrived in Djibouti after crossing the strait, which separates Yemen from the Horn of Africa country.
The minister had earlier reported that about 500 refugees, including women and children, reached the coastal city of Obock after being rescued at sea when their boats ran out of fuel.
Obock, located about 20 kilometres from Yemen across the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, has become a major entry point for people fleeing the conflict in Yemen.
Safiya Ibrahim, humanitarian response coordinator for the International Organisation for Migration, said vulnerable groups, particularly women and children, had reached Obock, with more arrivals expected.
The latest movement comes amid an escalation of fighting in Yemen. The International Organisation for Migration said about 76,000 people had been displaced by fighting since July, with the number rising sharply following renewed hostilities.
The Houthis reportedly captured the Red Sea port city of Mocha on Thursday and subsequently expanded their control over parts of the coastline and islands around the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait.
The offensive has forced thousands of families from their homes, with reports indicating that several communities in areas including Maqbanah, Jabal Habashi and al-Maafer have been largely deserted.
Djibouti, which already hosts tens of thousands of refugees and asylum seekers, has received people fleeing conflicts in Yemen and the wider Horn of Africa region.
Figures from the United Nations Refugee Agency showed that more than 36,000 refugees and asylum seekers were registered in Djibouti as of March 2026, with Somalis, Ethiopians and Yemenis accounting for the majority.
